Homemade Pesto

My mom has always loved taking care of a basil plant, so my family loves to enjoy this versatile pesto recipe!

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Recipe Snapshot

Serves: 5

Time: 5 Minutes

Level: Easy

What you’ll need…

2 Cups Fresh Basil
1, 2.25 oz Package Pine Nuts
2 Cloves Garlic
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Parmesan - I use grated
1/2 tsp Lemon Juice
Salt & Pepper

Get Cooking…

In the bowl of a food processor, or blender, add the basil, 1/2 the pine nuts, garlic, and 1/2 the olive oil. Blend until almost smooth, and still not cohesive. At this time open the food processor and scrape the sides with a spatula. Add in the rest of the pine nuts, olive oil, and parmesan. Blend again until smooth and uniform. This is when I like to taste the pesto for salt, pepper, and brightness. (I usually adjust with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and a light squeeze of fresh lemon juice. The key is you have to taste it to be sure!) I blend once more to make sure all the salt, pepper, and lemon juice get mixed in evenly.

You can use this recipe right away, or keep it for later. You can keep in the fridge for up to 1 week, or freeze for about 2-3 months.

Pro-tip – if you’re freezing your pesto, try freezing it in an ice cube tray! This way you can have nicely portioned pesto cubes that can be easily reheated in a microwave safe bowl.