Homemade Basil Pesto | Fresh Basil Pesto Recipe
Fresh basil pesto from scratch! Classic homemade pesto recipe with fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.
Servings: 6 (yields ¾ cup)
Calories: 176kcal
Equipment
- mixer jar or blender or food processor
Ingredients
Measurement Details: 1 cup = 240ml; 1 tbsp = 15ml; 1 tsp = 5ml;
- 2 cups basil leaves tightly packed , approx 46 grams. Cleaned
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- 2 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup parmesan
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground pepper
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Heat a pan and toast the pine nuts until they turn light brown. Let it cool for 5 minutes.
- In a mixer jar or blender, add the basil leaves, garlic, toasted pine nuts, cheese, salt, and pepper.
- Pulse it coarsely like below.
- Now scrape the sides and add half the amount of olive oil and blend again.
- Add the rest and blend until you get the desired consistency. If you are not planning to use it right away, then store it in an air-tight container.
Notes
- You can reduce the pine nuts to ¼ cup or increase it to ½ cup as per your preference. The same goes for olive oil.
- Instead of pine nuts, you can try the pesto with walnuts or almonds.
- Skip the cheese for a vegan option.
- Additionally, you can add 1 to 2 tbsp of lemon juice.
- Adjust the salt and pepper as your taste preference.
- Ensure you store the pesto in an air-tight container. Wrap the container with cling film or foil before closing the lid.
Nutrition
Calories: 176kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 165mg | Potassium: 77mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 457IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 1mg