Homemade pesto is a fresh, flavorful sauce made from blending basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil. It’s vibrant in taste, aromatic, and perfect for pasta, sandwiches, Caprese salad or drizzling over dishes.
Basil Pesto
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Salads
Prep Time
10 minutes
Ingredients
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2 cups basil leaves, fresh
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½ cup pine nuts, toasted
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2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
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3 small garlic cloves, minced
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¼ teaspoon salt
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¼ teaspoon pepper
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¼ cup olive oil + more for consistency
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¼ cup Parmesan, grated (plus more for serving with pasta)
Directions
In a small pan lightly toast the pine nuts. Cool slightly and add to a food processor, along with lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Pulse until the nuts are finely chopped.
Add basil leaves to the food processor and pulse until chopped. Slowly add the olive oil to the grinder with the blade running until you have a smooth consistency.
Remove to a bowl and add your freshly grated Parmesan. Mix until combined.
Serve with pasta or a Caprese salad. Store leftovers in a container in the fridge with a thin layer of olive oil drizzled over the top (to prevent it from browning) and a layer of plastic wrap before sealing.
Recipe Note
Note: you can add red pepper flakes if you like the spice
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