Basil Pesto
Serve pesto on fresh pasta, spread on a halved baguette and broiled, or as a pizza topping. This recipe calls for basil, but you can experiment with other herbs such as parsley, thyme, tarragon, and cilantro. If you’re a garlic fan, feel free to use more.
Dmytro Mykhailov/shutterstock
Photo Credit:
Dmytro Mykhailov/shutterstock
Ingredients
3 cloves garlic
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup good-quality olive oil
3 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
In a blender or food processor, combine garlic, basil, nuts, salt, pepper, and half of the oil. Puree, then slowly add remaining oil. If using immediately, stir in Parmesan; if not, freeze mixture in a resealable plastic bag, squeezing out any air. (Pesto turns brown when exposed to air.) Add Parmesan before serving.
Yield:
1 to 1-1/2 cups
Preparation Method
Category
Course
Source
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Reader Comments
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Pesto is a sauce born in
Pesto is a sauce born in Genova and there is a precise recipe of it that not include pepper. The cheese must be 70% Parmesan and 30% Pecorino. Also the quantity of garlic is too much: for a similar amount of basil, i advise to use max 2 cloves of garlic.
fresh basil pesto
How long will it keep in the frig.
how long will homemade pesto last in the fridge
Hi, Sam. Your pesto will stay fresh in the refrigerator for about 5 to 6 days. Enjoy!
Pesto
Your homemade pesto will not brown if you blanch your basil for just 20-30 seconds first.
canning
Is there a way to can and not freeze this?
canning homemade pesto
Hi, Sandy. We would recommend freezing it rather than canning.