0 from 21 votes
Fresh Homemade Basil Pesto
A classic summertime pasta sauce. Adjust to your own taste by adding more garlic or cheese. Please use real cheese and not the "green box"! Serves 6 as a "primi" or 4 as a main course.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
20 mins
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 277 kcal
Course:
Appetizer
Cuisine:
Italian
Ingredients
- 4 cups basil leaves stems removed, loosely packed
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
- 1/4 cup pine nuts lightly toasted
- 1/2 olive oil
- 1/3 cup Parmigiano Reggiano grated
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 12 ounces fusilli
Instructions
- In a food processor fitted with blade, process basil leaves, and pine nuts with a few pulses.
- With food processor running, add chopped garlic, and slowly drizzle olive oil, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add cheese, and pulse for a few seconds, taste and adjust seasoning, adding black pepper and salt if necessary.
- Fill a large pot with salted water, and bring to a boil. Add fusilli.
- Cook pasta a minute or two LESS than the package directions. You do not want to over-cook the pasta as you will finish cooking it on the stove with the sauce. Just before draining pasta, reserve about 1 cup of pasta water.
- Toss the pasta with some of the sauce and a small ladle of the pasta water, gently stir the pasta and swirl the pan until the sauce is incorporated, adding more pesto and pasta water until the sauce is creamy and smooth.
- Store any leftover pesto in the refrigerator, covered with a thin layer of olive oil, for up to a week.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- For pesto, use the best quality ingredients you can afford. If Parmigiano Reggiano is too expensive, use a good quality Pecorino Romano. (not the green cylinder!)
- Walnuts can be substituted for pine nuts.
- Store leftover pesto in the fridge in a jar with a thin layer of oil on top.
Nutrition Information
Serving
1person
Calories
277kcal
(14%)
Carbohydrates
44g
(15%)
Protein
11g
(22%)
Fat
6g
(9%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
2g
Monounsaturated Fat
2g
Cholesterol
4mg
(1%)
Sodium
93mg
(4%)
Potassium
220mg
(6%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
2g
(4%)
Vitamin A
889IU
(18%)
Vitamin C
4mg
(4%)
Calcium
111mg
(11%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 6people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 277
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1person | |
| Calories | 277kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 44g | 15% |
| Protein | 11g | 22% |
| Fat | 6g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 4mg | 1% |
| Sodium | 93mg | 4% |
| Potassium | 220mg | 5% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 889IU | 18% |
| Vitamin C | 4mg | 4% |
| Calcium | 111mg | 11% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.