Easy Homemade Pesto
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
5 mins
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Cook Time
3 mins
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Total Time
8 mins
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Servings
6
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Calories
272 kcal
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Course
Condiments
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Cuisine
Italian
Easy Homemade Pesto
Description
The recipe starts by gently toasting pine nuts in a skillet to bring out their nutty flavor without burning. Once toasted, the pine nuts are combined with fresh basil leaves, grated Parmesan, peeled garlic cloves, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a food processor. The mixture is pulsed several times to break down the ingredients evenly, aiming for a relatively smooth sauce with some texture remaining. If the pesto is too thick or difficult to blend, additional olive oil or a small amount of water can be added to loosen the consistency. Finally, the sauce is tasted and seasoned to balance the garlic, basil, salt, and pepper.
Properly rinsed and dried basil contributes to freshness and color, while the garlic amount can be adjusted for milder or stronger pungency according to preference. Pesto can be stored in an airtight container refrigerated for up to a week or frozen in ice cube trays for longer storage. It serves as a flavorful dressing or sauce for pasta, vegetables, or bread.
Ingredients
- ½ cup pine nuts
- 2 ounce basil fresh, about 2 cups packed
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese grated
- ½ cup olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic peeled
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Toast the pine nuts: Toast the pine nuts in a small skillet for 2 to 3 minutes, watching them carefully as they have a tendency to burn easily.
- Blend all the ingredients: Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blend everything together, pulsing in 5 to 10 second bursts. Continue blending until the texture is pretty smooth. If you find that the pesto is too dry and are having trouble blending it add a couple tbsp of water, or a bit more olive oil.
- Adjust seasoning: Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
Notes
- Wash and dry basil thoroughly to preserve the sauce's bright color and freshness.
- Adjust garlic amount to taste; use fewer cloves for a milder flavor or the full three for a pronounced garlic taste.
- Always toast pine nuts to deepen their flavor before blending.
- Freeze pesto in ice cube trays for convenient, portioned use in future dishes.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to one week or frozen up to three months.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 272 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 0.25cup | |
| Calories | 272kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 2g | 1% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 27g | 42% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 5mg | 2% |
| Sodium | 231mg | 10% |
| Potassium | 108mg | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 565IU | 11% |
| Vitamin C | 2.1mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 120mg | 12% |
| Iron | 1.1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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