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5 from 1 vote

How to Make THE BEST Pesto

This easy homemade pesto recipe is my tried and true method to make THE BEST pesto recipe every single time.
Course sauce
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Homemade pesto, Pesto
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 16
Calories 102kcal

Ingredients

  • ½ cup pine nuts toasted
  • ½ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese plus more for garnish
  • 1 garlic clove roughly chopped
  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves washed and stemmed and finely packed
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½ lemon juiced
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Add roughly chopped garlic, toasted pine nuts, and finely grated parmesan cheese to the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Add the fresh basil leaves and pulse until chopped.
  • While the processor is running, drizzle the olive oil through the shoot until the mixture is emulsified and smooth. Add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and whiz again.
  • Taste for seasoning and adjust to your liking.

Notes

Eat the pesto straight away or store in a jar with a tight fitting lid for up to 1 week. If storing for later, add a generous drizzle of olive oil to the top of the pesto to form an oily seal so the pesto doesn't turn dark. Simply stir the oil into the sauce before using.