Description
A vibrant, fresh basil pesto made with simple ingredients like pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and olive oil. Ready in minutes and perfect for pasta, veggies, or spreads
Ingredients
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2 cups fresh basil leaves (packed)
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½ cup toasted pine nuts
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1 small garlic clove, peeled
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2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (optional)
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¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
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¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated (or vegan alternative)
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¼ teaspoon sea salt
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Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
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In a food processor, combine pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Pulse until finely chopped.
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Add basil leaves and pulse until combined.
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With the processor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until emulsified.
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Add Parmesan cheese and pulse briefly until smooth.
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Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Add more olive oil for a thinner consistency.
Notes
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For vegan pesto, replace cheese with nutritional yeast or omit it altogether.
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Toasting the nuts enhances flavor.
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Store in an airtight container with a thin oil layer on top to prevent browning.
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Freeze in ice cube trays for quick, single servings.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Sauce/Condiment
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Calories: ~170 kcal
- Sugar: <1g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Carbohydrates: 2g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 3mg