A traditional Italian basil pesto made with fresh basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil, perfect for pasta, sandwiches, or as a flavorful sauce.
Author:Emma Harper
Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:0 minutes
Total Time:10 minutes
Yield:1 cup1x
Category:Sauce
Method:Blending
Cuisine:Italian
Diet:Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Add basil leaves, garlic, and pine nuts to a food processor.
Pulse several times until finely chopped.
With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until smooth.
Add grated Parmesan cheese and pulse briefly to combine.
Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
To prevent browning, add a thin layer of olive oil on top before storing.
You can substitute walnuts or almonds for pine nuts.