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Pesto

Pesto

I am in love. I can’t believe I have never made pesto before…it was quick and simple to make and tasted fantastic. I have tried several different store-bought pestos but never found one that I liked – I will NEVER buy pesto again. I am so excited to make different recipes with this beautiful sauce. It’s so versatile and can be used on meats, soups, salads, sandwiches, or pasta.

Pesto:

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup of pine nuts, toasted
  • 5 cloves of garlic
  • 2 cups of fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

How to Make Pesto

You can use a mortar and pestle, a Kitchen Aid mixer, or a blender to make this pesto.

In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast pine nuts for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.

In your mixer add garlic and pine nuts then pulse until chopped. Add basil leaves, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper then pulse until well blended. Slowly pour the olive oil in while the mixer is on, making sure to scrape the sides then pulse again until thoroughly mixed. Taste and re-season with salt and pepper if necessary. Enjoy!

Pesto

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

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28 Comments

  1. I so agree, home made pesto is the tops – and you are right, it is really easy to make. I’ve experimented with different herbs and nuts and they are all so delicious. Well done!

  2. Isn’t home made pesto the best? I still have several containers of it in my freezer from my pesto making day. And I love the smell in the kitchen, the garlic, and cheese, and basil, yummy!

  3. Nice pesto 🙂 My cool friend sitting next to me tells me that it goes great on a chicken sandwich… it just needs to be thickened up a bit

  4. I love the color, but I can pretty much guarantee that no one would eat green paste in my house *sigh*. Some day, I may get to try pesto.

  5. it is the best, and i hope you never are tempted by the pre-made again. it just can’t compare to the fresh.

    try freezing it, without the cheese- it lasts for months. you can also use any of your other favorite herbs and nuts (or a mix, with the basil and pinenuts)- parsley, mint, walnuts, almonds- all are great in there too.

  6. Well done! Your pesto looks great! Doesn’t toasting the pinenuts make all the difference?! Your serving pieces are darling, too. Now I’m craving pesto! YUM!

  7. I’m hopelessly addicted to pesto, too! And there’s nothing better than home-made – I agree!

    Yours looks absolutely delicious 🙂

  8. Enjoying your blog!

    I have a huge basil plant in the garden and freeze the pesto so I have it in the winter months too.

    I only use 2 cloves of garlic, it depends on your palate.
    You can use walnuts, or pine nuts, and even make it with arugula!

    I use it as a condiment! and spread it on toasted bread for sandwiches. I couldn’t live without it!
    Stacey Snacks

  9. I never realized how much I liked pesto paste until recently. I have never made my own but cowriter swears by this pesto pasta if you don’t have the time or mortar and pestle.

  10. I just love basil. I have two plants growing in my kitchen window. Everytime I harvest a few leaves for a dish, the room is filled with their wonderful aroma.

  11. Nothing beats homemade pesto. Sadly here in SA pine nuts are extremely expensive so I always use almonds, but it is as good! I love the color of your pesto.

  12. My first pesto was from Orangette – and it’s one made with Italian Parsley and lemons. It is WONDERFUL! Makes me just want to pesto everything to see what kind of interesting flavors I can find!

  13. I love making pesto too. You just can’t beat a freshly made pesto. I like to mix things up sometimes by making an arugula pesto and also a parsley with walnuts version. Yours looks fantastic.

  14. I am making pesto today! Pine Nuts and I don’t get along so well, so I leave them out. In my recipe I use about a half a cup of fresh parsley, I like this for the added vitamin C. I sometimes use almonds, walnuts or sun-dried tomatoes.

  15. I have a friend who works for a produce company and hooks me up with basil for free, I made pesto for us both. If I get a lot I can freeze bags of it. Then hide them from my children. Also living in Florida I almost always have it growing at the front door. My daughter used pesto as part of her science fair project. Glad you got to make it and enjoy it.

  16. Did you use the food processor attachment with your mixer? If yes, which blade? I would know how to do this in a normal food processor, but curious how best to use the mixer.