Simple Basil Pesto Recipe
This delicious classic Italian basil pesto recipe is the perfect sauce to add to any pasta, sandwich, or main entree.
Ingredients
- 2 packed cups fresh basil leaves
- 3 garlic cloves
- juice of ½ lemon
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons grated pecorino romano cheese
- ¾ cup olive oil
- coarse salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the pine nuts to a small sauté pan over low heat and cook for 4-5 minutes or until lightly browned. Frequently stir with a spoon so they do not burn. Set aside.
- Add the basil, garlic, lemon juice, parmesan cheese and pine nuts to a food processor and pulse oh high speed 12-15 times or until finely chopped.
- Add in the pecorino roman cheese and salt and pepper and pulse on high speed while drizzling in the olive oil until it becomes emulsified.
- Store until ready to use.
Notes
Make-Ahead: For Freshness, you can make this up to 5 days ahead.
How to Store: This will keep you covered in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. It freezes extremely well for up to 3 months. When freezing, I suggest separating the sauce into silicone trays so you can pull out as little or as much as you’d like.
You do not have to toast the pine nuts, but it greatly enhances the flavor of the pesto by doing so.
This recipe is amazing during the summer months, especially if you happen to have fresh basil growing in your garden. It’s a great way to use it all up.
The lemon juice adds a little bit of clean acid flavor and helps preserve the bright green color of the basil in the pesto.
Be careful not to heat the pesto too much, as this will cause the sauce to separate and become oily.
The sauce should be creamy and emulsified. It should not be runny.
If, for some reason, you are allergic to nuts or don’t like the taste of pine nuts, you can simply remove them from this recipe. By taking them out of the pesto, the recipe's name changes to Pistou.
Nutrition
Calories: 115kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 2gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 56mgPotassium: 22mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 185IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 1mg