Whip up the perfect basil pesto recipe in minutes. I have a trick to get extra-rich flavor from the pine nuts, to add to the complexity and deliciousness of this dish! Toss pesto with fresh, warm pasta and it’s an easy, fragrant side dish everyone loves!
Beginner home cooks – scroll down for a detailed and printable step by step recipe (with video!).
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this basil pesto sauce…
- 4 oz pine nuts, about ½ cup
- 2 tbsp lemon juice, fresh
- ½ lemon, zest
- ½ teaspoon, garlic salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 cups basil leaves, fresh
- ¼ cup olive oil, extra virgin
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated
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Detailed basil pesto recipe steps
- In a small pan over medium-low heat, toast the pine nuts for 2-3 minutes (don’t add any oil or butter), stirring regularly until lightly browned. Be careful not to burn them.
- In a food processor, combine the toasted pine nuts, lemon juice and zest, garlic salt, and black pepper. Pulse a few times to rough chop the mixture.
- Scrape down the sides of the food processor with a spatula, then add the basil leaves. Pulse until everything is combined.
- With the food processor running on low, gradually drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil. Once incorporated, turn off the machine and scrape down the sides.
- Add the grated Parmesan cheese to the food processor and pulse until well combined. If the pesto is too thick, you can add an additional tablespoon of olive oil to thin it out.
- To serve with pasta, toss warm, freshly cooked (to al dente) pasta in a large bowl with the pesto. Avoid cooking the pesto in a hot pan, as it may alter the flavor and consistency. If using chilled pesto from the fridge, consider adding melted butter to help thin it out, if desired.
What to do with pesto
Enjoy your homemade pesto:
- Tossed with homemade fettuccine
- As a delicious spread for sandwiches
- On top of minestrone soup
- With chicken on cast iron pizza
Side dish ideas
- Loaded baked potato soup
- Air fryer chicken wings
- Potato recipes
- Stuffed shells
- Sautéed onions and peppers
- White sauce
- Baked chicken wings
- Sautéed mushrooms
- Spinach pesto pasta
- Make ahead Mexican salad
- Best Caprese salad
- Creamy pesto pasta salad
- Roasted cherry tomatoes
- Focaccia bread
- Sausage stuffing
- See all side dishes
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Easy Basil Pesto Recipe
Whip up the perfect basil pesto pasta in minutes. I have a trick to get extra-rich flavor from the pine nuts, to add to the complexity and deliciousness of this dish! Toss pesto with fresh, warm pasta and it’s an easy, fragrant side dish everyone loves!
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Servings: 4 people
Calories: 343kcal
Ingredients
- 4 oz pine nuts about ½ cup
- 2 tbsp lemon juice fresh
- ½ lemon zest
- ½ tsp garlic salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 2 cups basil leaves fresh
- ¼ cup olive oil extra virgin
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese freshly grated
Instructions
- In a small pan over medium-low heat, toast the pine nuts for 2-3 minutes (don’t add any oil or butter), stirring regularly until lightly browned. Be careful not to burn them.
- In a food processor, combine the toasted pine nuts, lemon juice and zest, garlic salt, and black pepper. Pulse a few times to rough chop the mixture.
- Scrape down the sides of the food processor with a spatula, then add the basil leaves. Pulse until everything is combined.
- With the food processor running on low, gradually drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil. Once incorporated, turn off the machine and scrape down the sides.
- Add the grated Parmesan cheese to the food processor and pulse until well combined. If the pesto is too thick, you can add an additional tablespoon of olive oil to thin it out.
- To serve with pasta, toss warm, freshly cooked (to al dente) pasta in a large bowl with the pesto. Avoid cooking the pesto in a hot pan, as it may alter the flavor and consistency. If using chilled pesto from the fridge, consider adding melted butter to help thin it out, if desired.
Video
Notes
See the recipe: https://sipbitego.com/basil-pesto
Watch the full-length YouTube recipe video on Sip Bite Go’s YouTube channel.
Nutrition
Calories: 343kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 102mg | Potassium: 239mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 694IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 2mg
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