Fresh Basil Pesto

Easy recipe for fresh pesto. Great on pasta, pizza, chicken, sandwiches, and more! Recipe is entirely flexible - adjust as desired. See note for tip on how to get vibrant green pesto!

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

8 2 tablespoon servings

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Equipment

Food Processor

Ingredients

3 cups basil leaves loosely packed. A little over 1 oz
1 large garlic clove roughly chopped
1/3 cup pine nuts
½- ¾ cup shredded fresh Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon kosher salt more or less to taste
a few cracks pepper
½ cup extra virgin olive oil more or less as needed

Instructions

Place basil, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan, salt and pepper in a food processor. Pulse a few times to finely chop.
With processor running or pulsing on low, add in olive oil. Everything should be finely chopped, without puréeing!
Sample and add more salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

Tip for vibrant green pesto:

For extra bright green pesto, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. After measuring your basil, submerge it in the boiling water for 5-10 seconds (no longer than 10) and immediately dunk in super cold water and then onto a paper towel. Pat dry and use immediately in recipe.

Freezer Instructions:

One of the great things about pesto is that it freezes well, so you can make it in the peak of summer when your basil is going bonkers and then have it all winter long. Just put it in an ice cube tray and after it's frozen pop all of those cute little cubes in a zip-lock bag or freezer container. Pull them out any time you need a burst of fresh flavor. You can also put the whole batch of pesto in a freezer container, freezer bag, or foodsaver bag.

Flavor additions:

Feel free to add spices and seasonings for extra flavor. Some favorites are some chili flakes for spicy pesto, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and zest for fresh lemon pesto, or mixing it up by adding oregano, thyme, or cilantro for a flavorful herby mix.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoon, Calories: 186kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 5mg, Sodium: 183mg, Potassium: 72mg, Fiber: 0.4g, Sugar: 0.2g, Vitamin A: 530IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 72mg, Iron: 1mg

Course: Condiments

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: fresh basil pesto

Calories: 186kcal

Author: Our Best Bites

Cost: $8

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