Free UK delivery on all orders · At-home saliva test · Secure checkout
Free UK delivery on all orders
Waitrose Essential Basil Pesto: nutrition, salt and what the label does not tell you
A standard serving of Waitrose Essential Basil Pesto (45g) contains 161 kcal, 0.86g of salt and 1.13g of sugar. It is classified as NOVA 3 — processed food under the NOVA food processing system.
Try it: nutrition calculator
Choose a brand, sauce and serving size. Compare salt, sugar and NOVA processing level across brands and own-label alternatives.
Pasta sauce nutrition calculator
Salt, sugar and UPF level by serving
Choose a brand, sauce and serving size. See how salt, sugar, saturated fat and NOVA processing level compare across brands and own-label alternatives.
Your serving--
Calories
--
--
0--
--
Salt
--
--
0--
--
Sugar
--
--
--
0--
--
NOVA processing level
--
--
--
Nutrition by serving
Nutrition by serving: Waitrose Essential Basil Pesto
Serving
Calories
Salt
Sugar
= teaspoons
Protein
Pesto serving (45g per 100g pasta)
161 kcal
0.86g
1.13g
0.3 tsp
2.61g
Pesto serving (50g)
179 kcal
0.95g
1.25g
0.3 tsp
2.9g
Salt highlighted in amber above 15% of adult daily limit (6g), red above 33%. Sugar highlighted similarly against 30g adult daily free sugar limit. Teaspoons calculated at 4g per teaspoon (level teaspoon of granulated sugar).
Waitrose Essential Basil Pesto contains 358 kcal, 33.5g of fat (5.8g saturated), 7.5g of carbohydrate (2.5g sugar), 5.8g of protein and 1.9g of salt per 100g.
Waitrose Essential Basil Pesto rated 63% in Which? 2023 with testers saying it 'lacked salt and basil flavour' despite the highest Grana Padano content (12%) of all supermarket own-brands tested. Go! Pesto's analysis of 100+ UK pestos placed Waitrose at the higher end of own-brand calorie density.
The NOVA classification system groups foods by the extent and purpose of processing. NOVA 3 covers foods that have been processed using salt, sugar, oil or other culinary substances, but without industrial additives.
Waitrose Essential Basil Pesto is classified as NOVA 3 — processed food under the NOVA food processing system.
Salt
Waitrose Essential Basil Pesto contains 1.9g of salt per 100g, which is concentrated — pesto is used in smaller portions than jar sauces. A pesto serving (45g per 100g pasta) delivers 0.86g of salt, 14% of the adult daily limit of 6g.
At 1.9g of salt per 100g this is a high-salt product by UK Food Standards Agency standards (above 1.5g per 100g counts as high). Pasta sauce is often eaten alongside other salty components — Parmesan cheese, bread, cured meat — so the cumulative salt load of a pasta meal can easily exceed the adult daily limit.
Sugar and added sugar
Waitrose Essential Basil Pesto contains 2.5g of sugar per 100g. A pesto serving (45g per 100g pasta) delivers 1.13g of sugar. In pesto, the sugar content is low (from the basil and garlic) and there is typically no added sugar.
Ingredients
Basil pesto
Basil (35%), Sunflower Oil, Grana Padano (Milk) (12%), Cashew Nuts, Potato Flakes, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Pine Kernels, Salt, Garlic, Parmigiano Reggiano (Milk) (2%), Acidity Regulator (Lactic Acid). Highest Grana Padano content (12%) of the supermarket own-brands tested.
Pesto serving (45g per 100g pasta): 0.86g of salt (14% of the adult daily limit of 6g); Pesto serving (50g): 0.95g of salt (16% of the adult daily limit of 6g).
Waitrose Essential Basil Pesto contains 2.5g of sugar per 100g. A pesto serving (45g per 100g pasta) delivers 1.13g of sugar. The sugar present is primarily from natural ingredients.
Waitrose Essential Basil Pesto is classified as NOVA 3 — processed food. It contains only recognisable whole food ingredients without industrial additives.
A home-made tomato pasta sauce using tinned tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, basil and salt typically contains around 0.3g to 0.5g of salt per 100g (from the added salt alone), no modified starch, and no acidity regulators. The salt content of Waitrose Essential Basil Pesto (1.9g per 100g) is higher than a home-made equivalent. The main difference is in the processing additives rather than the nutrition numbers.
Waitrose Essential Basil Pesto does not contain meat, fish or other non-vegetarian ingredients in its standard recipe. It is suitable for vegetarians.
Know what you are eating
Know what you are eating.
The Boone app tracks calories, salt, sugar, saturated fat and 30+ nutrients in real time. Scan any pasta sauce and see exactly how it fits your daily targets.
Nutrition from official brand UK labels (Dolmio UK, Loyd Grossman UK, Sacla' UK, Napolina UK, Barilla UK), Action on Salt pasta sauce and pesto surveys (2009, 2017), Which? blind taste test 2023 (pesto), MadeForMums independent analysis, and UK supermarket product listings. NOVA classifications from ingredient lists at time of writing. For guidance only, not medical advice.
