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spoon scooping pesto out of a clear jar.
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4.87 from 23 votes

Best Homemade Basil Pesto

This easy homemade basil pesto sauce is the perfect from scratch recipe! Homemade pesto is so easy to make and adds so much flavor to so many meals.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 55kcal
Author: Dorothy Kern
Cost: $8

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup pine nuts
  • 2 cups packed basil leaves fresh
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ½ cup fresh parmesan cheese
  • ½ - 1 teaspoon salt to taste
  • ½ - ¾ cup (118-177ml) olive oil

Instructions

  • Place pine nuts in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Stir often, cooking for just a few minutes, until they start to brown. Remove from heat and cool.
  • Place basil, pine nuts, garlic, and parmesan in a the bowl of a food processor or blender. Pulse until a paste forms. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and pulse to combine.
  • While running the machine, pour in olive oil, starting with 1/2 cup. Once the pesto emulsifies it will become a thick sauce. If you want thinner pest, add another 1/4 cup olive oil.

Video

Notes

Recipe from The Simple Kitchen by Donna & Chad Elick

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 55kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 100mg | Potassium: 48mg | Vitamin A: 365IU | Vitamin C: 1.3mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 0.5mg