Basil Pesto Recipe

basil leaves on homemade basil pesto in a white bowl.

Course: Sauces and Condiments

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Prep Time: 10

Total Time: 10

Servings: servings

Calories: 86cal

Author: Ashley Fehr

Elevate any dish with this homemade Basil Pesto recipe! It's loaded with a ton of fresh basil, olive oil, parmesan cheese, pine nuts, and garlic for a punch of fresh flavor. Perfect for topping pasta, bread, salad, or anything else you like.

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Ingredients

½ cup olive oil
2 cups lightly packed basil leaves (about 40 grams)
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons pine nuts (almonds or walnuts)
2 cloves garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor beginning with the oil.
Process until smooth, adding more oil and scraping down the sides as necessary.
Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.

Video

Notes

Ingredients and Substitutions:

While the ingredients I chose here are the classics, there are lots of ways you can change it up!

Oil: you can use any oil here that is liquid at room temperature.

Basil: feel free to add in other herbs, or swap it out for parsley, cilantro, mint, etc.

Parmesan: you can swap this out for another hard cheese, or omit for a dairy free recipe.

Pine Nuts: pint nuts are traditional but expensive. You can swap this out for almonds or walnuts if you prefer.

Nutrition