pesto + manchego + marcona almond

⏲ ~21 min total · prep 16 · cook 5 · 4 servings

By the KFI Test Kitchen · Tested & approved by Jason Lieu, KFI recipe editor

Published Sep 15, 2026 · Updated Sep 15, 2026

Ingredients

• 8 oz Manchego cheese, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 small garlic clove, smashed
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2/3 cup Marcona almonds, roughly chopped
• 1 English cucumber, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• Flaky sea salt and cracked black pepper, to finish

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F and line a rimmed half-sheet pan with parchment.
2. Make the pesto: pulse the basil, garlic, Parmesan, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt in a food processor 8-10 pulses until coarsely chopped, then stream in the olive oil with the motor running until it's saucy but still textured — stop before it turns to a smooth paste.
3. Toast the Marcona almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes, tossing once, until they smell nutty and take on a few toast-colored speckles; cool and rough-chop any whole ones.
4. Arrange the Manchego rounds on the pan 1 inch apart and bake 4-6 minutes, just until the edges slump and the tops bubble — Manchego softens and blisters rather than spreading like mozzarella, so pull them before they puddle.
5. Let the cheese stand 2 minutes to set slightly, then top each round with a teaspoon of pesto, a pinch of the almonds, and flaky salt and cracked pepper.
6. Serve warm over the cucumber rounds while the cheese is still soft.

Why this recipe works

• Manchego bakes differently Manchego softens and blisters in a 400°F oven without spreading into a puddle, so the rounds hold their shape under the pesto.
• Processor does the work From oven to plate in about 25 minutes, and the food processor handles the only laborious part.
• One carb A serving lands at 1.0 net carb, which leaves the rest of the day's budget alone.

Tips for making this recipe well

Stop the pesto early

Stream the oil only until the sauce turns saucy but still textured. Past that point you have a smooth paste, and texture is what separates this from a jar.

Toast the almonds dry

Three minutes in a dry skillet brings out their nuttiness. Pull them at the first toast-colored speckles, since they darken fast.

Watch the cheese minute

Bake 4-6 minutes and pull the rounds when the edges slump and the tops bubble. They keep softening on the hot pan, and anything past that turns to puddles.

Build while warm

Give the cheese 2 minutes to set, then top each round with the pesto and almonds and finish with flaky salt. The warmth is what makes the toppings cling.

Cucumber at the end

Slice the cucumber while the cheese bakes and assemble at the last moment so the rounds stay crisp. Cucumber weeps once cut, and puddles on a board make the cheese rounds slide.

Serving suggestions

Serve these warm, straight from the parchment, with the cucumber rounds alongside or underneath as the recipe builds them. The cheese firms as it cools, so a warm plate matters; 20 seconds in the microwave revives a round that has been sitting. At 1.0 net carb a serving this is the appetizer you put out without touching the day's budget. Finish each one with cracked pepper at the table and a small glass of something dry. They vanish fast, so cut extra rounds if a crowd is coming.

Storage and meal prep

These are assembled-and-eaten appetizers; baked cheese turns firm and chewy in the fridge, and cut cucumber weeps. Make the pesto up to 3 days ahead with plastic pressed on the surface, then bake cheese rounds to order. Leftover pesto keeps 3-4 days covered in the fridge. Toasted almonds hold in a sealed jar at room temperature for days. If you must store finished rounds, eat them within a day, straight from the fridge, and skip reheating since the cheese toughens.

Variations worth trying

• Other almonds Toasted slivered almonds or walnuts work when Marcona almonds are out of reach; give either a rough chop after toasting.
• Younger Manchego Younger wheels melt more readily than aged; either works, but pull the young one a minute early.
• Arugula pesto Swap the basil for arugula in the pesto for a peppery edge that stands up to the cheese.
• Bigger board Add sliced prosciutto to the board and turn the appetizer into a light dinner spread.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my Manchego puddling?

It baked too long, or the wheel was younger and softer than expected. Pull the rounds when the edges slump and the tops bubble, and let them stand 2 minutes to set before topping.

Can I make the pesto ahead?

Yes, up to 3 days ahead. Press plastic onto the surface and refrigerate, then stir before topping the cheese.

Do the almonds have to be Marcona?

Marcona almonds bring a buttery, salted character that regular almonds lack, but toasted slivered almonds work in their place. Chop them roughly so they sit on the pesto instead of sliding off.

Can I skip the cucumber?

You can serve the warm rounds on their own or over sliced salami. The cucumber adds cool crunch against the soft cheese, which is why the recipe builds them together.

How do I know when to pull the cheese?

Watch for edges that slump outward and tops that bubble, somewhere between 4 and 6 minutes. The color should stay pale gold; brown means the next stop is a puddle.

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