Homemade Basil Pesto
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of fresh basil, about 3.5 cups basil leaves
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 cup of pine nuts, toasted
- 1 Tbsp of lemon zest, optional
- 1 Tbsp of lemon juice, optional
- 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1 cup extra virgin Olive Oil
- Kosher salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the dirt of the basil leaves and let it air dry while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Toast the pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add the garlic to the food processor and pulse it until chopped.
- Add the rest of the ingredients, except the olive oil, and pulse it to the desired consistency.
- With the food processor running on low, slowly add the olive oil. You may add more or less depending on how thick/runny you like your pesto sauce.
- Taste and adjust seasoning.
Notes
- To freeze, simply pour the pesto sauce into an ice cub tray. You can store it in the freezer for up to 6 months!
- You can substitute the pine nuts for walnuts or even pistachios!
- You can substitute the pine nuts for walnuts or even pistachios!