Description
Delightful Homemade Basil Pesto brings Italian sunshine onto your plate, blending fresh herbs with rich parmesan and pine nuts. Summer’s bounty creates a smooth, aromatic sauce that elevates pasta, sandwiches, and grilled dishes with Mediterranean flair.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups (480 ml) fresh basil leaves, packed
- ½ cup (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese
- ⅓ cup (40 g) pine nuts (or walnuts for a budget-friendly option)
Flavor Enhancers:
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) salt
- ¼ teaspoon (1.25 g) black pepper
Liquid Ingredients:
- ½ cup (120 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice (optional, for brightness)
Instructions
- Gather fresh basil leaves, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, garlic, salt, and black pepper in the food processor bowl, ensuring all ingredients are clean and dry.
- Pulse the ingredients rapidly to create a coarse, textured mixture, breaking down the components into small, uniform pieces.
- While the processor is running, gradually stream olive oil into the mixture, creating a smooth, vibrant green sauce with a consistent, creamy texture.
- Evaluate the pesto’s flavor profile, adding a splash of fresh lemon juice to brighten the taste and enhance the herb’s natural zestiness.
- Fine-tune the seasoning by incrementally introducing salt and black pepper, tasting after each addition to achieve a balanced, harmonious flavor.
- For immediate consumption, transfer the pesto to a serving dish or use directly as a sauce for pasta, pizza, or sandwiches.
- To preserve, decant the pesto into a clean, sealed container, refrigerating for up to one week, or portion into ice cube trays and freeze for extended storage, allowing quick access to individual servings.
Notes
- Always use fresh, vibrant green basil leaves for the most intense flavor and brightest color in your pesto.
- Toast pine nuts lightly in a dry skillet before blending to enhance their nutty richness and add deeper complexity to the sauce.
- Consider swapping pine nuts with more budget-friendly alternatives like walnuts or sunflower seeds without compromising the pesto’s delicious texture.
- Prevent browning by adding a thin layer of olive oil on top when storing pesto in the refrigerator, which creates a protective barrier and maintains its gorgeous green color.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg