How to make Basil Pesto
Making your own homemade fresh pesto couldn't be more simple. Here I'll show you exactly how to make basil pesto in the tastiest way possible!
Servings: 1 cup
Cost: £2 / $3
Equipment
- Food Processor (or Pestle and Mortar)
- Fine Cheese Grater
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 big handfuls Fresh Basil (approx 2 packed cups worth - 60g/2.1oz)
- 1/2 cup / 120ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil, or as needed
- 1/2 cup / 40g Parmesan
- 1 small clove Garlic, peeled
- 4 tbsp Pine Nuts (toasted if preferred)
- 1/2 Lemon, juice only (optional)
- 1/4 tsp Salt, or to taste
- 1/8 tsp Black Pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- If you are toasting pine nuts, place 4 tbsp in a pan over low-medium heat with no oil and shake occasionally until golden brown. Pine nuts will go from toasted to burnt extremely quickly so just be vigilant.
Pestle and Mortar
- Begin by crushing 1 small clove garlic with a pinch of salt to form a paste. Gradually add in 2.1oz/60g basil and smash/grind to blend. Then add your pine nuts and 1/2cup/40g parmesan. After, add in your oil around 1 tbsp at a time. Test for seasoning.
Blender
- Add 1 small clove garlic and 4 tbsp pine nuts and blend until desired texture. Add 2.1oz/60g basil and 1/2cup/40g parmesan, blend and slowly add in your oil. Test for seasoning. Alternatively this can all be added at once and results will still be similar. This method just ensures there's no large chunks of garlic and the pine nuts and pulsed to preference.
Video
Notes
a) Pesto with Lemon - If you're using lemon juice add in at the end and give it final blend. Start off with a squeeze and adjust to preference.
b) Pesto in the food processor - A great tip when if you're using the blender is to rest some ice in there before you use it to keep it cool. This will stop your basil from getting too hot and burning when you're blending it.
c) Vegetarian Pesto - For a vegetarian option using vegetarian parmesan or any other hard cheese. For vegan use nutritional yeast.
d) How to store Pesto - Store in a tightly sealed jar in the fridge with a layer of olive oil on top. Each time you use it, pour off the oil and replace when you put it back in. This will last at least a week, anything after that just be vigilant with your senses before using it. Freeze for up to a month, however add the cheese AFTER if you plan on freezing.
e) Pesto pasta - Use 300g/10.5oz pasta (dry weight) for a saucy pasta or 350g/12.3oz for a slightly more modest coating. Just cook the pasta to packet instruction then drain and KEEP THE PASTA WATER. Place the pasta in a large bowl - do NOT put it in a pan over heat. Heating the pesto will cause it to go greasy and possibly burn the basil. Stir in the pesto alongside a splash of the leftover pasta water until the pesto wraps around the pastas and creates a light sauce.
f) Video - is my Pesto Pasta Salad recipe.
g) Calories - based on the above recipe using 100ml olive oil and divided by 4 servings.
Nutrition
Calories: 306kcal | Carbohydrates: 2.4g | Protein: 5.7g | Fat: 32.3g | Saturated Fat: 5.6g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 117mg | Potassium: 93mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 0.4g | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 0.9mg