Pesto Recipe
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
5 mins
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Total Time
5 mins
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Servings
6 servings
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Calories
165 kcal
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Course
Condiments
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Cuisine
Italian
Pesto Recipe
Description
This Pesto Recipe uses fresh basil leaves packed without stems, pine nuts, peeled garlic cloves, light olive oil, salt, and finely grated Parmesan cheese. The preparation involves pulsing all ingredients in a food processor, scraping down the bowl as needed, to ensure a coarse rather than completely smooth blend. Parmesan cheese and seasoning are stirred in at the end to preserve their texture and flavor.
The pine nuts provide mild nuttiness but can be swapped for walnuts, almonds, or pistachios, or omitted for a nut-free option. Using fresh garlic cloves enhances the sauce’s aromatic qualities compared to jarred garlic. Incorporating oil steadily during pulses helps maintain the sauce’s consistency and prevents separation.
The pesto brightens cooked pasta, chicken, or fish and can be refrigerated or frozen to extend its shelf life for convenient use in quick meals.
Ingredients
- 2 cups basil leaves stems removed, fresh, packed
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- 3 garlic peeled, medium cloves
- ⅓ cup olive oil light
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese finely grated
Instructions
- Add the basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil and salt to a food processor.
- Process everything until smooth, stopping as necessary to scrape down the sides of the bowl, about 1 minute. Stir in the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Substitute pine nuts with walnuts, almonds, or pistachios as preferred or omit for a nut-free pesto.
- Use fresh garlic cloves for stronger flavor rather than jarred garlic.
- Pulse the ingredients instead of blending for a coarser texture that holds better on pasta and other dishes.
- Slowly stream in olive oil during processing to keep the sauce emulsified.
- Refrigerate the pesto after preparation and freeze any extras for later use with pasta or proteins.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 165 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 165kcal | 8% |
| Carbohydrates | 2g | 1% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 17g | 26% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 3mg | 1% |
| Sodium | 262mg | 11% |
| Potassium | 71mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 567IU | 11% |
| Vitamin C | 4mg | 4% |
| Calcium | 68mg | 7% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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