Calories in Pesto sauce
Generic food Soups and Sauces
Pesto sauce contains 580 kcal per 100 g. A typical serving of 1 tablespoon (16 g) provides about 93 kcal.
Roughly 90% of its calories come from fat, with 6% from protein and 4% from carbohydrates (estimated with general energy factors).
That is more energy than the typical item in dips, gravies, other sauces on FoodFactly, where the median is 163 kcal per 100 g across 59 foods.
100 g provides 80% of the Daily Value for Vitamin K, 71% of the Daily Value for Vitamin E and 34% of the Daily Value for copper.
The data comes from the USDA Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS), which calculates values from recipes of the ingredients.
Nutrition facts
| Nutrient | Amount per 100 g | % DV |
|---|---|---|
| Calories C | 580 kcal | |
| Total fat C | 59.2 g | 76% |
| Saturated fat C | 10.3 g | 52% |
| Cholesterol C | 16 mg | 5% |
| Sodium C | 988 mg | 43% |
| Total carbohydrates C | 5.7 g | 2% |
| Dietary fiber C | 1 g | 4% |
| Total sugars C | 0.7 g | |
| Protein C | 8.6 g | 17% |
| Vitamin A C | 91 µg | 10% |
| Vitamin C C | 3.6 mg | 4% |
| Vitamin D C | 0.1 µg | 0.5% |
| Vitamin E C | 10.6 mg | 71% |
| Vitamin K C | 95.5 µg | 80% |
| Thiamin (B1) C | 0.077 mg | 6% |
| Riboflavin (B2) C | 0.12 mg | 9% |
| Niacin (B3) C | 0.94 mg | 6% |
| Vitamin B6 C | 0.087 mg | 5% |
| Folate (B9) C | 19 µg | 5% |
| Vitamin B12 C | 0.25 µg | 10% |
| Choline C | 14.8 mg | 3% |
| Calcium C | 207 mg | 16% |
| Iron C | 1.9 mg | 10% |
| Magnesium C | 61 mg | 15% |
| Phosphorus C | 230 mg | 18% |
| Potassium C | 199 mg | 4% |
| Zinc C | 2.1 mg | 19% |
| Copper C | 0.31 mg | 34% |
| Selenium C | 7 µg | 13% |
% DV: percent of the FDA Daily Value for adults (reference amounts). Letters show how each value was obtained: M measured, C calculated, L label, Z assumed zero, I imputed. Vitamins and minerals not listed were not reported by the source.
Nutritional breakdown
- Protein 6%
- Carbohydrates 4%
- Fat 90%
Approximate share of calories, using general energy factors (4 kcal/g protein and carbohydrate, 9 kcal/g fat, 7 kcal/g alcohol).
Vitamins and minerals, % Daily Value per 100 g
Nutritional insights
- Protein8.6 gin the top quarter of dips, gravies, other sauces (median 3.8 g)
- Fiber1 gin the top quarter of dips, gravies, other sauces (median 0.3 g)
- Sugars0.7 gin the lowest quarter of dips, gravies, other sauces (median 2 g)
- Fat59.2 gin the top quarter of dips, gravies, other sauces (median 13.3 g)
- Saturated fat10.3 gin the top quarter of dips, gravies, other sauces (median 3.9 g)
- Sodium988 mgin the top quarter of dips, gravies, other sauces (median 541 mg)
- Protein per 100 kcal1.5 gprotein density, useful for comparing foods with different calorie levels
- Water22.8 gwater per 100 g, which largely explains differences between raw, cooked and dried forms
Full nutrient profile
Fats and cholesterol (2)
| Monounsaturated fat C | 33.3 g |
|---|---|
| Polyunsaturated fat C | 10.1 g |
Individual fatty acids (19)
| EPA (omega-3, 20:5 n-3) C | 0.002 g |
|---|---|
| DHA (omega-3, 22:6 n-3) C | 0 g |
| Linoleic acid (omega-6, 18:2) C | 9.6 g |
| SFA 4:0 C | 0.096 g |
| SFA 6:0 C | 0.082 g |
| SFA 8:0 C | 0.052 g |
| SFA 10:0 C | 0.12 g |
| SFA 12:0 C | 0.14 g |
| SFA 14:0 C | 0.46 g |
| SFA 16:0 C | 7.1 g |
| SFA 18:0 C | 1.8 g |
| MUFA 18:1 C | 32.5 g |
| PUFA 18:3 C | 0.37 g |
| PUFA 20:4 C | 0.013 g |
| MUFA 16:1 C | 0.52 g |
| PUFA 18:4 C | 0 g |
| MUFA 20:1 C | 0.27 g |
| MUFA 22:1 C | 0.001 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) C | 0.003 g |
Carotenoids (6)
| Beta-carotene C | 571 µg |
|---|---|
| Lycopene C | 0 µg |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin C | 1,020 µg |
| Retinol C | 43 µg |
| Carotene, alpha C | 0 µg |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta C | 8 µg |
Other components (8)
| Water C | 22.8 g |
|---|---|
| Alcohol C | 0 g |
| Caffeine C | 0 mg |
| Theobromine C | 0 mg |
| Folic acid C | 0 µg |
| Folate, food C | 19 µg |
| Vitamin E, added C | 0 mg |
| Vitamin B-12, added C | 0 µg |
Foods with a similar nutritional profile
| Food | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollandaise sauce | 546 | 5.4 g | 1 g | 58 g |
| Sauce, pesto, MEZZETTA, NAPA VALLEY BISTRO, basil pesto, ready-to-serve | 496 | 6.7 g | 5.1 g | 49.9 g |
| Sauce, horseradish | 503 | 1.1 g | 10.1 g | 50.9 g |
| Dip, NFS | 432 | 2.6 g | 3.9 g | 45.2 g |
| Ranch dip, regular | 432 | 2.6 g | 3.9 g | 45.2 g |
| Garlic sauce | 683 | 1.4 g | 2.9 g | 74 g |
| Vegetable dip, regular | 429 | 2.2 g | 3.6 g | 45.1 g |
| Chipotle dip, regular | 426 | 2 g | 3.2 g | 45.1 g |
Per 100 g. Calories in kcal. n/a: not reported by the source.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories are in pesto sauce?
100 g of pesto sauce has 580 kcal. 1 tablespoon (16 g): about 93 kcal.
How much protein is in pesto sauce?
Pesto sauce contains 8.6 g of protein per 100 g (17% of the 50 g Daily Value), or 1.4 g in 1 tablespoon (16 g). About 6% of its calories come from protein. Compared with other dips, gravies, other sauces, that is among the highest quarter (median 3.8 g).
How many carbs are in pesto sauce?
Pesto sauce has 5.7 g of total carbohydrates per 100 g, including 1 g of fiber and 0.7 g of sugars.
How much fat is in pesto sauce?
Pesto sauce contains 59.2 g of fat per 100 g, of which 10.3 g is saturated (52% of the Daily Value).
What vitamins and minerals does pesto sauce contain?
Per 100 g, the most notable amounts relative to the Daily Value are Vitamin K (80% DV), Vitamin E (71% DV), copper (34% DV), zinc (19% DV) and phosphorus (18% DV). The full list is in the vitamins and minerals table above.
How much sodium is in pesto sauce?
100 g contains 988 mg of sodium, 43% of the 2,300 mg Daily Value.
Where does this nutrition data come from?
From USDA FoodData Central: FNDDS (Survey), record dated October 31, 2024. FoodFactly last checked it on November 6, 2026. Each value above shows whether it was measured, calculated or taken from a label.
Source of the nutrition information
- USDA FoodData Central: FNDDS (Survey), record 2710175. License: CC0 1.0 (U.S. public domain). Source record dated October 31, 2024. Imported November 6, 2026.
Last updated: . Data quality score: 100/100 (how it is calculated).
General nutrition information, not medical advice. Individual needs differ; see our disclaimer.