Pesto Recipe

Learn how to make easy homemade basil pesto with fresh basil, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil. This flavorful pesto recipe comes together in minutes and is perfect for pasta, sandwiches, pizza, and mo

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 0

Total Time 10

Servings servings

Calories 434kcal

Author Leigh Anne Wilkes

Equipment

Ingredients

2 cups fresh basil leaves removed from steams
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup walnuts
1.5 cup olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in blender except olive oil and blend on high until smooth.
Add in olive oil until the pesto is the right consistency. Should run off spatula.
It if is too thick add some extra olive oil.

Notes

Use Fresh Basil Fresh, vibrant basil is the key to great pesto. Avoid basil leaves that are wilted, bruised, or yellowing, as they can affect both the flavor and color of your pesto.
Toast the Walnuts For even more flavor, lightly toast the walnuts in a dry skillet for 3-5 minutes before adding them to the food processor. Let them cool completely before using.
Pulse, Don't Puree Use short pulses rather than running the food processor continuously. This helps maintain a little texture and prevents the basil from becoming overly bruised.
Add the Olive Oil Slowly With the food processor running, drizzle the olive oil in slowly. This helps create a smooth, creamy pesto that emulsifies beautifully.
Scrape Down the Sides Stop the food processor once or twice and scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is evenly incorporated.
Adjust the Consistency If your pesto seems too thick, add a little extra olive oil until it reaches your desired consistency. For pasta, you can also thin it with a spoonful of warm pasta water.
Prevent Browning A thin layer of olive oil on top of stored pesto helps keep it bright green and prevents oxidation. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface before refrigerating for extra protection.
Make Extra and Freeze It Pesto freezes beautifully. Spoon it into ice cube trays, freeze, and transfer the cubes to a freezer bag. You'll have perfectly portioned pesto ready whenever you need it.
Taste Before Serving Different brands of Parmesan and varying sizes of basil leaves can affect the flavor. Give your pesto a taste and adjust the salt, cheese, or lemon juice if needed before serving.

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