How to Make Homemade Pesto
If you love bright, fresh flavors, this homemade basil pesto is a recipe you’ll want to keep on repeat. Made with fresh basil, parmesan cheese, pine nuts, and olive oil, it delivers a bold basil flavor that tastes incredible in every season. This pesto recipe comes together quickly in a food processor and creates a smooth, vibrant Italian sauce you can use in countless ways. From tossing with hot pasta to spreading on sandwiches or stirring into pasta salad, this versatile sauce always adds something special.
Keep your Pesto in an airtight container for up to one week in the refrigerator. You can also freeze your pesto. I love using these freezer trays to freeze and then store.
Toss it with homemade pasta or hot pasta, stir it into pasta salad, spread it on sandwiches, swirl it into soups, or use it as a sauce for chicken, shrimp, or vegetables. It even makes an incredible pizza base.
Yes! While pine nuts are traditional, sunflower seeds, walnuts, or other different nuts work well and still make a great pesto.
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Ingredient Notes
- Fresh basil
- Parmesan cheese: Some other common cheeses used here are asiago or romano. Really, any hard cheese will do, just make sure it is grated first.
- Olive oil: Use another vegetable oil here if you prefer. You can also use ricotta cheese here to create a low-fat option.
- Toasted pine nuts: You can substitute chopped walnuts here, or another nut of your preference. You can also take out the nuts completely and its still delicious.
- Blue cheese crumbles: The blue cheese or feta can be used instead
- Lemon juice
- Garlic cloves: I recommend using fresh garlic for this pesto.
- Salt: The blue cheese is a fairly salty cheese, so make sure to only use this amount before tasting the pesto.
- Pepper
- Dried oregano
Homemade Pesto
- In a food processor, pulse together the fresh basil, parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts, blue cheese, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and oregano.
- Run the food processor continuously while slowly pouring in the olive oil until it is fully combined. If not combined completely, mix the rest with a spoon.
- Serve immediately or chill until ready for use.
How to Make Homemade Pesto
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Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups fresh basil packed
- ½ cup parmesan cheese shredded
- ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts
- ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese or feta cheese
- 2 cloves garlic cloves fresh
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup olive oil
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse together the fresh basil, parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts, blue cheese, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and oregano.
- Run the food processor continuously while slowly pouring in the olive oil until it is fully combined. If not combined completely, mix the rest with a spoon.
- Serve immediately or chill until ready for use.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer: Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
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