Fresh Pesto Recipe

A quick and easy Homemade Pesto Sauce made with five ingredients in less than ten minutes in a food processor. Enjoy it over pasta, chicken, steak, seafood, and grilled or roasted vegetables.

Course sauce

Cuisine Italian

Keyword basil pesto, homemade pesto, how to make pesto sauce, what is pesto

Prep Time 10

Servings cup

Calories 1475kcal

Author Beth Pierce

Ingredients

⅓ cup pine nuts
1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic minced
2 cups fresh basil leaves
⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese or Pecorino Romano
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the pine nuts. Toast 2-3 minutes stirring very frequently. Plate them to cool.
Heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in same skillet over medium low heat. Cook garlic 1 minute; stirring frequently. Remove from heat and cool.
Combine the fresh basil and toasted pine nuts in a food processor and pulse for 10 seconds. Add the garlic and Parmesan cheese and pulse 2-3 seconds.
With the food processor running slowly drizzle in the 1/2 cup olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

Other herbs can be added like cilantro, parsley, kale, or mint.
Walnuts can be substituted for the pine nuts or use a mixture of the two.
Add a little pizzazz with a pinch of red pepper flakes.
You can still use a mortar and a pestle but it is so much easier with a food processor or a blender.
Pesto has a short refrigerator life so freeze it in ice cube trays before adding the cheese. Once frozen store in a freezer storage bag for up to 6 months. Remove as many cubes as you want and thaw in the fridge overnight. Then add the cheese and use in your favorite recipe.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Nutrition