Name: Basil Pesto Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 16 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 0.333 cup pine nuts; 4 cups fresh basil leaves; 2 cloves garlic; 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 0.5 cup parmesan cheese; 0.25 tsp salt; 0.5 cup extra virgin olive oil add

From the Cook

1/4

Basil Pesto Sauce

Flavor the Moments Verified

Flavorthemoments.com

Ingredients

Warning0 allergens identified

Basil Pesto Sauce

⅓ cup pine nuts

4 cups fresh basil leavesloosely packed

2 cloves garlicpeeled and halved

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

½ cup parmesan cheesefreshly grated

¼ tsp salt

½ cup extra virgin olive oil addmore as needed to reach the desired texture

Instructions

Visit Blog

Instructions

Toast the pine nuts in a small skillet over medium low heat, stirring frequently until golden and fragrant, about 5-6 minutes. Keep a close eye on them as they can burn very quickly.

Add basil, garlic, nuts, lemon juice, parmesan cheese and salt to a food processor and pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber scraper.

With the processor running, add the olive oil through the feed tube and process until the sauce reaches the desired consistency. Add more oil and adjust the salt to suit your taste. Enjoy!

Nutrition

My Calorie Intake

0
Review & Earn

Be the first to review this recipe and earn a 20% Bonus

Level up & unlock free Premium by reviewing recipes!

My Notes

Your kitchen notebook is waiting.

Whether it's a recipe tweak or an inspiration burst — jot it down here.

Tips & Tricks (5)

Toast Your Pine Nuts First 🥜
Lightly toast pine nuts in a dry skillet for 2-3 minutes before blending to enhance their buttery flavor and prevent them from becoming bitter or soggy in the sauce.
Blanch Basil Before Processing 🌿
Briefly blanch fresh basil leaves in boiling water for 30 seconds, then ice-bath them to preserve their vibrant green color and prevent oxidation and browning.
Use Room Temperature Ingredients ♨️
Let garlic, olive oil, and cheese reach room temperature before blending to ensure better emulsification and a smoother, creamier pesto texture without separation.
Pulse, Don't Purée 🔄
Use short pulse bursts on your food processor rather than continuous blending to maintain texture and prevent the basil from becoming bruised or developing a bitter, oxidized taste.
Freeze in Silicone Ice Cube Trays 🧊
Pour finished pesto into silicone ice cube trays and freeze for perfect portion sizes; pop out cubes and store in freezer bags for up to 3 months of convenient, fresh pesto ready to use.