Basil Pesto is a flavorful sauce made with fresh basil, garlic, toasted pine nuts and a touch of citrus. Use it to enhance your favorite pasta dishes, Bruschetta, or even on Grilled Chicken Pesto Pizza! Although the small jars at the store are quite costly, it’s very simple to make at home & tastes best fresh.
You’ll Need:
2 tbs Pine nuts; toasted
2 lg Cloves garlic
2 3/4 c Fresh basil leaves
2 tbs Parmesan cheese
2 ts Lemon juice
3 tbs Extra virgin olive oil
Combine Garlic & Pine nuts in a blender or food processor until minced. Add basil, cheese and lemon juice; mince. Slowly add oil, blending well. Use immediately or Vacuum seal to retain freshness.
A Note about the ingredients: Pine nuts can frequently be found in bags near the produce in major grocery store chains and sometimes in the snack aisle near peanuts. If you’re having a difficult time locating them, you can purchase them online at Amazon.
If you’re looking for a delicious Appetizer, try this amazing pull apart pesto Cheese bread recipe.
© Can Stock Photo Inc. / Dream79
thank you! i’ve been looking for a decent pesto recipe. i grew a ton of basil this year and this is delishus with my foccacia bread recipe.
this is a good recipe. i normally substitute a different nut for the pine nuts. in my area pine nuts cost roughly $2.15/oz and I don’t use them in many of my other recipes.
Pecans work well and are almost .60/oz less expensive. Walnuts are alright but they tend to have a ‘dry’ flavor that doesn’t work well.
i’ve made this using walnuts instead of the pine nuts. in my area, pine nuts are just too expensive.
I made this basil pesto recipe, and I’m never going back to store-bought! 🌿 The freshness of the basil combined with the garlic is unbeatable.
One tip: if you want to keep your pesto greener for longer, try blanching the basil leaves briefly before blending. It makes the color pop! 🌱 I also like to switch things up by using walnuts instead of pine nuts—so good and budget-friendly too! 🍝💚