Description
Make this easy basil pesto in just 5 minutes! Spoon it over chicken, pasta, salads, or use it as a salad dressing.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
- 3 Tbsp. toasted pine nuts
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 garlic clove
- 3 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine basil leaves, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and lemon juice in a bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely minced. Scrape down the sides with a spoon or small rubber spatula.
- While the food processor is running, slowly add the olive oil in a steady small stream. Scrape down the sides as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 week. See notes for freezer instructions.
Notes
- To Freeze Pesto – put spoonfuls of pesto into ice cube trays and place in the freezer until solid. Then transfer the pesto cubes to freezer-safe plastic bag or container with a lid and keep in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw out overnight in the refrigerator before using.
- Substitutions – see blog post for a full list of ingredient substitutions.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 187
- Sugar: 0.3 g
- Sodium: 68.3 mg
- Fat: 20.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 1.4 g
- Protein: 2.2 g
- Cholesterol: 2.9 mg
