Publix Organic Basil Pesto Cream Sauce (Greenwise) Review
Author’s note: Not a paid review! I have no affiliation with Publix. These are my own unvarnished opinions.
Very demure. Very mindful.
I saw this Greenwise Basil Pesto Cream Sauce on sale in the Publix weekly ad, so of course I was obligated to try it. It was a moral obligation. I simply had no choice!
Anyway. This is an organic item, part of the Publix Greenwise organic/natural line of products. I found this sauce near the refrigerated salsas and cheese spreads, close to the yogurts and sour cream.
What does it taste like?
I served mine over angel hair pasta, with a side of sauteed brussels sprouts.
The sauce is creamy, but not overly thick. Not as thick or unctuous as a jarred alfredo. The luscious real cream is palpable, however. Milk and cream are the first two ingredients in this sauce.
It does, however, have enough viscosity to coat noodles. Or a spoon.
Flavors
There is a delicate, herbaceous flavor. The sauce emits a subtle basil aroma and taste. Although not a strong presence, there are visible, finely ground basil fragments. Not quite the “fresh” green I associate with traditional pesto, but not offensively stale or old.
I’m a basil-lover, so I could definitely do with more basil flavor.
Textures
For me, the best part is the texture. The gentle creaminess is punctuated by a generous quantity of finely grated parmesan cheese. There is a lot of cheese. It even smells cheesy. Cheese is the third (and fifth!) ingredient. This is objectively wonderful.
In keeping with the overall subtlety, the sauce is not very salty. I definitely added extra salt to mine, which improved the flavor. In general, this sauce is suitable for salt-sensitive individuals. *waves at the Salt Police*
There’s zero spiciness in this sauce. I added freshly ground pepper to mine, to kick it up a notch. Black pepper complements the other flavors beautifully.
Other serving ideas
I also ate the basil pesto cream sauce on my brussels sprouts, and I can confirm: it tastes great on vegetables. Heck, I can’t think of many things this WOULDN’T taste great on. Maybe pumpkin pie. I probably wouldn’t serve this on pumpkin pie.
The package suggested serving over grilled chicken, or tossing with gnocchi. If I buy it again, I would like to serve it over salmon and asparagus.
(Looking for frozen salmon? Here are my reviews of Kirkland Frozen Sockeye Salmon from Costco and Orca Bay Frozen Keta Salmon.)
Quality
To me, this tasted like restaurant-quality sauce. It was far superior to any jarred sauce I’ve sampled. It has a nearly homemade taste.
As such, I consider this a “premium” product. Great for a special occasion or treat. Probably not something I would buy as a weekly staple. More about the price later.
Packaging
The basil pesto cream sauce comes in a squat plastic tub. I like the resealable plastic lid — I ate mine over several days, so it was nice to have a convenient storage container. You can also microwave the sauce IN the plastic container. At least, the label says you can.
The bad news is, the tub is strangely messy — something about how the lid fits. Handle with care.
Heating Instructions for Publix Basil Pesto Cream Sauce
The label offers two ways to heat this sauce:
- Microwave
- Stovetop
I heated this in a pan on the stove, initially. This worked fine. I brought it to just below a simmer, before serving over hot pasta. But then I had a pan to wash. Alas.
As it turns out, there is actually no need to heat the sauce separately.
On subsequent days, I tried simply mixing the refrigerated cream sauce into cold pasta (or pouring on top) before microwaving. Unlike many other products I’ve reviewed, this one has no discernable taste or texture difference when microwaving. Hooray.
Cream sauces can be finicky, so I’m pleased to say this sauce doesn’t separate when heating or after storing leftovers. This is great. It literally tasted exactly the same each time I ate it, regardless of how it was prepared.
Ingredients in Organic Basil Pesto Cream Sauce from Publix
Here are the ingredients from the label:
- Organic Milk
- Organic Heavy Cream
- Organic Parmesan Cheese (Pasteurized Organic Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes)
- Organic Basil
- Organic Romano Cheese (Pasteurized Organic Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes)
- Organic Cornstarch
- Salt
These are stellar ingredients. Clean, and straightforward. I shan’t complain.
Nutrition Facts in Publix Organic Basil Pesto Cream
Supposedly, there are 6 servings per container. I only got 2 large servings, and one baby serving. A dainty nibble. So, unless you are using this as a wee side item, I doubt you will get 6.
In any case, a 1/4 cup serving has only 130 calories, of which there are 13 grams of fat, 5 grams of protein, and an admirable 3 grams of carbohydrates.
There’s 17% of your daily value of sodium, which is more than I would have expected from the very demure, very mindful taste. You also get a healthy 10% of your daily value of calcium per each miniature serving.
Price and Shelf-Life for Publix Greenwise Basil Pesto Cream Sauce
I bought mine on sale, so it was only $5. The regular price is about $7 for 12 ounces. Unfortunately, this is too expensive for the scroogey amount of sauce. I would probably buy it again on sale, or if it came in a larger container.
Additional Sauce Options
Other varieties available of this Greenwise sauce include:
- Mushroom
- Tuscan-Style Pomodoro
- Vodka Sauce
How long does it last?
I ate my basil pesto cream sauce over a period of 5 days without any noticeable loss of quality. The “best-by” date on the container allowed about 2 months to consume, if unopened.
Dramatic Conclusion
This was a delicious sauce, and surprisingly versatile. It has impressively clean ingredients. Unfortunately, it is cost-prohibitive. I would buy it again if it was on sale, or for a very special occasion.
The End.
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