This quick and easy Pesto Sauce is made with fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, parmesan cheese, and olive oil. It's super easy to make in a food processor, and tastes great with pasta dishes, salads, and more.
Try this sauce in my creamy pesto pasta recipe!
About This Recipe
This week, I'm going to make a few different recipes using pesto sauce! My wife's summer garden is finally winding down, and I just learned she somehow managed to grow three giant bushels of basil. Honestly, it's more basil than I’ve ever seen in my life. We were able to pick enough to fill an entire large salad bowl.
Basil is one of the easiest condiments to make. And of all the homemade condiments, this basil recipe has to be the one I make the most often. It's really versatile. You can use it for pasta dishes, salads, drizzled on grilled meats, and as a fun garnish for summer appetizers like prosciutto and melon.
I will say the most annoying part is fitting everything into my food processor. I have one of the small 3-cup food processors, so it takes a few rounds to jam all the basil leaves into it. That said, the result is totally worth it: a luxurious creamy sauce with a fresh, nutty, fragrant flavor. Keep your eyes peeled this week because I have a few recipes coming out to utilize the pesto!
Key Ingredients
Pine nuts: The base of my pesto recipe (and most other pesto recipes) is pine nuts. You can also use walnuts, but pine nuts provide a creamier and richer texture because they are high in oil (the good kind of oil). Toasted and raw pine nuts will both work for this recipe.
Garlic: Provide a pungent kick
Basil leaves: I used fresh leaves from my wife's garden. Do not use dried basil, as the pesto would not taste right. You might notice my basil leaves are quite wilted, but that's because they oxidize quite fast once you start working with them. After I picked them, I washed them thoroughly in water, which caused a lot of cuts and bruises all over them.
Olive oil: This is essential to give the pesto a silky texture. I used about ½ a cup, but you can add more to get a looser texture. I think most commercial pestos add a ton of oil because it's cheaper than basil leaves or nuts, and it increases the volume quite a bit.
Parmesan cheese: Make sure you use REAL parmesan cheese and grate it yourself. Also, remember that Parmesan cheese has a high-sodium content, so make sure you do not add too much salt; otherwise, the pesto could get oversalted.
Instructions
STEP 1: Add the pine nuts and garlic to a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped, 10 seconds.
STEP 2: Add basil, salt, and pepper. Blend for about 1 minute until it resembles a paste.
STEP 3: Add the olive oil and blend until smooth. Add the Parmesan and blend until combined. Use right away or store in a jar. Cover with a thin layer of olive oil to keep it fresh for up to 1 week in the fridge.
Quick and Easy Pesto Sauce
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½-¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Add the pine nuts and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped, 10 seconds.
- Add basil, salt, and pepper. Blend for about 1 minute until it resembles a paste.
- Add the olive oil and blend until smooth.
- Add the Parmesan and blend until combined. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. If you like your pesto looser, you can add more olive oil.
- Use right away or store in a jar. Cover with a thin layer of olive oil to keep it fresh for up to 1 week in the fridge.
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