Basil Pesto

Basil Pesto is a classic recipe with just the right blend of fresh basil leaves, toasted pine nuts, garlic, and parmesan cheese. Use it as a tasty pasta sauce or in your favorite recipes.  

I love basil. I love garlic. I love cheese. Now puree basil, garlic, cheese, and handful of pine nuts together, and you my friend have arrived at foodtopia.

This classic basil pesto recipe is everything you need.  It’s so simple, but so delicious.  Just blend the ingredients together in a food processor (affiliate link), and voila!

I love my pesto all ways.  I love it on pasta.  I love it in my favorite sun-dried tomato dip.  I love it used as a pizza sauce on homemade pizza.  I love it on a slice of mozzarella topped with a fresh tomato.  I love it on crostini with a slice of  parmesan cheese and a fried egg. You get the point, right? So versatile, and oh so scrumptious.

You really can’t go wrong with fresh pesto. I always love having leftover basil, precisely because that means it’s time to make pesto.

What are your favorite ways to use fresh pesto?

Basil Pesto

• Author: Fork in the Kitchen
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 10 mins
• Yield: 1 cup 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup pine nuts (optional: toasted pine nuts)
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly shredded
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Instructions

1. In a food processor (affiliate link), add the basil leaves, pine nuts, and garlic cloves.
2. Chop until coarsely mixed.
3. Add parmesan cheese and salt to food processor (affiliate link). Pulse the food processor (affiliate link) until ingredients are just mixed.
4. Slowly add the olive oil while pureeing the pesto, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
5. Pesto is ready to use immediately or can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Notes

If storing the fridge, cover the top of the pesto with plastic wrap to reduce its exposure to air.

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