How To Make Basil Pesto
Make this authentic Italian basil pesto for your pasta dish tonight! It’s got hints of nuttiness and tartness for the perfect sauce.
Serves:
Ingredients
- ⅓cupraw pine nutsor almonds, walnuts, pecans or pepitas
- 2cupsfresh basil leavesabout 3 ounces or 2 large bunches
- ¼cupparmesan cheesegrated
- 1tbsplemon juice
- 2clovescloves garlicroughly chopped
- ½tspfine sea salt
- ½cupextra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
-
In a medium skillet, toast the nuts over medium heat, stirring frequently , until nice and fragrant, for 3 to 5 minutes.
-
Pour them into a bowl to cool for a few minutes.
-
Combine the basil, cooled nuts, parmesan, lemon juice, garlic and salt in a food processor or blender.
-
With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil.
-
Continue processing until the mixture is well blended, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary.
-
Taste, and adjust if necessary.
-
Serve it with pasta or as a dip, and enjoy!
Add a pinch of salt if the basil tastes too bitter or the pesto needs more zing. Add more Parmesan if you’d like a creamier or cheesier pesto. If desired, you can thin out the pesto with more olive oil.
Nutrition
- Calories: 3419.78kcal
- Fat: 347.07g
- Saturated Fat: 60.87g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 194.15g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 69.77g
- Carbohydrates: 25.76g
- Fiber: 5.87g
- Sugar: 6.59g
- Protein: 73.40g
- Cholesterol: 101.12mg
- Sodium: 2055.80mg
- Calcium: 1875.75mg
- Potassium: 1114.26mg
- Iron: 11.48mg
- Vitamin A: 435.89µg
- Vitamin C: 16.56mg
Was this page helpful?
Have your own special recipe to share? Submit Your Recipe Today!
Related Recipes
