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Square cropped pesto in bowl image
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5 from 4 votes

Fresh Basil Pesto

Learn how to make pesto with fresh pesto! The perfect blend that's easy and delicious.
Prep Time5 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 1 c.
Calories: 1813kcal
Author: Julie Evink

Ingredients

  • 2 c. fresh basil leaves packed, no stems
  • 2 Tbsp pine nuts
  • 3 large cloves garlic
  • ½ c. freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • ½ c. extra-virgin olive oil
  • ¼ tsp salt more to taste
  • tsp ground black pepper more to taste

Instructions

  • Place basil leaves, pine nuts and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times.
  • Add Parmesan cheese to the bowl and pulse several more times. Scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula.
  • Turn on the food processor and slowly pour in the olive oil in a steady, small stream while it’s running. This will help it emulsify and help keep the olive oil from separating. Occasionally stop and scrape the sides of the food processor down.
  • Stir in salt and ground black pepper to taste.

Video

Notes

How to Store It: Homemade pesto will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator. Keep it in an airtight container!
How to Freeze It: I love to make a big batch at the end of the summer and freeze it in an ice cube tray. Once frozen, keep the cubes in a freezer bag and add them to your favorite dishes.
How to Make Pesto Without a Food Processor: If you have a regular stand blender, you can use that! I recommend roughly chopping the basil and garlic first and then blend everything in the blender. Slowly pour in the oil while it’s running until the sauce is the consistency you like.
How to Make Pesto Without Pine Nuts: The flavor will be a little different, but sometimes I use walnut or almonds instead of pine nuts. They work great.

Nutrition

Calories: 1813kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 64g | Fat: 169g | Saturated Fat: 38g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 2413mg | Potassium: 1704mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 25991IU | Vitamin C: 88mg | Calcium: 2172mg | Iron: 18mg