Fresh Basil Pesto

Homemade Pesto: Making your own herby, garlicy pesto at home is as easy as throwing FIVE ingredients into a food processor.

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This delicious and flavorful homemade pesto recipe uses just five simple ingredients and makes the perfect pasta or sandwich topping.

Prep Time10

Total Time10

Recipe Author Lynn April

Servings: 1 cup

Ingredients

Instructions

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the basil leaves, pine nuts or walnuts, and garlic. Process until everything is combined (it will still be chunky). Stop the processor, remove the lid, and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
2 cups fresh basil leaves, ½ cup pine nuts or walnuts, 3 cloves garlic
Replace the lid and remove the processor's plug in order to pour the olive oil directly into the mixture. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil and continue to process until all of the oil is incorporated.
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Stop the processor and add the salt and Parmesan cheese, if using. Pulse a few times to combine, then use pesto immediately. Pesto says fresh, covered tightly with plastic wrap pressed to the surface in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Pesto freezes very well. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap pressed to the surface, up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
¼ teaspoon salt, ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese1

Notes

Parmesan cheese: this is a traditional ingredient in pesto, but omitting it will make this pesto vegan as well as dairy free.

Adapted from Ina Garten

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Nutrition Disclosure

All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.