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Homemade Basil Pesto Recipe

  • Author: Shawn Williams
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Total Time: 5
  • Yield: 1-2 cups 1x
  • Category: Side
  • Cuisine: Italian

Description

Fresh homemade basil pesto made with basil, parmesan cheese, pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil. Perfect for pasta, pizza, sandwiches, and more.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 loosely packed cups of basil leaves, about 2.5 ounces
  • 3 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 2/3 cup olive oil
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Combine all pesto ingredients except for the olive oil in a food processor or blender. Blend/pulse until mixed and smooth.
  2. With the motor running, add olive oil in a slow stream until combined. Pesto should not be too soupy or fine. Set aside. Can be made a day in advance and stored in the fridge in a tightly sealed container. Cover with plastic wrap seated directly on top of the surface to prevent browning/air exposure.

Notes

If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a standard blender or single-serve blender instead. Just don’t blend the ingredients too aggressively or it will turn into a creamy paste. If using a single-serve blender, combine all ingredients together and pulse until smooth. Shaking the containing in between blends will help to mix the ingredients if they get “stuck.”


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 tbsp
  • Calories: 97
  • Sugar: 0.1g
  • Sodium: 44mg
  • Fat: 10.5g
  • Saturated Fat: 1.9g
  • Carbohydrates: 0.5g
  • Fiber: 0.2g
  • Protein: 1.6g
  • Cholesterol: 3mg

Keywords: basil pesto, homemade pesto

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