Basil Pesto Recipe
This basil pesto recipe blends fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan into the classic Italian sauce in just 5 minutes. A squeeze of lemon keeps every batch bright green, and ready for pasta, pizza, and more!
- Prep
- 5 min
- Total
- 5 min
- Yield
- Heaping 1 cup
Ingredients 8
- ½ cup raw unsalted pine nuts, cashews, or walnuts*
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 medium garlic cloves
- 2 cups loosely packed fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 ice cube
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup olive oil, plus additional as needed
Method 3
- 01
In a small dry skillet, toast the nuts over medium high heat, stirring constantly, for about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the nuts to a bowl and allow them to cool slightly. (This step is optional, but brings out a more robust flavor in the nuts.)
- 02
In food processor**, combine the nuts, cheese, and peeled garlic. Process until finely ground, 20 to 30 seconds.
- 03
Add the basil, lemon juice, ice cube (this helps it stay green) and kosher salt . Turn on the food processor and gradually pour in the olive oil. Once combined, turn off the food processor. Blend in a bit more olive oil if desired, to achieve a looser texture. Stores for about 1 week in the refrigerator and several months frozen.
Provenance
- recipe-clones/acouplecooks-data
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urn:recipe:cc0a95d0-ad2e-5ca0-ae85-4aea50a8a49b