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A close up shot of basil pesto recipe in a white bowl

The BEST Basil Pesto Recipe


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5 from 1 review

Description

Take the time to toast your garlic and bruise your basil for the best homemade pesto of your life!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves
  • 7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Toast the garlic in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until it
    becomes soft and spotty, about 8 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside until cool
    enough to handle, remove and discard the skins.
  2. Place the pine nuts in the same pan and toast until browned and fragrant, about 4 minutes.
  3. Place the basil leaves in a gallon-sized ziplock plastic bag and pound the bag with the flat
    side of a meat pounder or rolling pin until all of the leaves are bruised.
  4. Place garlic, pine nuts, basil leaves, and olive oil in a food processor and process until
    smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Remove the blade and stir in
    the parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Category: recipes
  • Method: food processor
  • Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1.5 tablespoons
  • Calories: 195
  • Sugar: 0.2 grams
  • Fat: 21 grams
  • Saturated Fat: 3.2 grams
  • Trans Fat: 0 grams
  • Carbohydrates: 1.9 grams
  • Fiber: 0.3 grams
  • Protein: 2.2 grams