Herbaceous

Fresh, homemade, basil pesto is the best because of how fresh it tastes compared to store bought pesto. Because of this you want to make sure to use the freshest basil you have available. Whatever basil you acquire it’s going to go bad quickly so this isn’t something you want to prep for and then wait for a week. Even after you blend it together you should eat it within a week or maybe a little more. The best option would of course be to have your own basil plant growing so you can take what you need. The fresh flavor is so worth it though!

Variations

Basil isn’t the only thing you can use to make a pesto. I’ve made kale and spinach pesto turn out successfully. You can even switch out the pine nuts for walnuts or pecans if you are allergic or perhaps just want a slightly different flavor. If you wanted to get really wild you could even make spicy pesto with some serano or jalpeno peppers!

Overmixing is a No No

Sometimes it can seem counterintuitive to only use the food processor for a short period of time when making pesto, but it’s a crucial step! If you blend for too long it will turn out too watery and mushy. Same goes for adding the oil in too early. If you want to be really traditional and make an even more fragrant pesto you could use a mortar and pestle instead of a blender. It’s a true labor of love, but it makes a lovely pesto.

Fresh Basil Pesto

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Recipe by Zach Wood Course: Appetizers, Sauce, VideoCuisine: Italian

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Cups 2 Basil Leaves

• 4 4 Garlic Cloves

• 1/2 Cup 1/2 Grated Parmesan

• 1 tsp 1 Salt

• 3 TBSP 3 Pine Nuts

• 1/2 Cup 1/2 Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions

• Separate Basil Leaves from their stems
• Grate Parmesan
• Smash Garlic and remove skins
• Add everything except for the olive oil into the food processor and blend until just combined
• Add in Olive Oil and very briefly blend again
• Serve and Enjoy!

Recipe Video

Notes

• Don’t store your basil leaves in the fridge even for a night because they will turn black almost immediately
• Tinker around with the amount of pine nuts to your preference. I like very herby pesto so I use a little less, but you might want more for a nuttier thicker pesto