Basil Pesto

May 4, 2014 Dips/SaucePasta / Pizza Recipes  5 comments

Basil Pesto is a sauce with the bursting flavor of basil leaves, pine nuts & olive oil. Its great with pasta, sandwiches & salads. Its always better to prepare fresh basil pesto at home rather than the store bought ones. This recipe can be made easily & quickly using a blender in less than 15 mins. Scroll down for alternative ingredients that can be used to make this basil pesto.

Now to the recipe…

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[Preparation Time-10 to 12 mins]

Ingredients:

  • Fresh Basil – 1 cup (tightly packed)
  • Pine Nuts – 1/2 cup
  • Olive Oil – 1/3 cup
  • Parmesan Cheese – 1/4 cup
  • Garlic pods – 2
  • Lemon juice – from 1/2 a lemon
  • Salt – as needed
  • Pepper powder – as needed

Method:

  •  Dry roast the pine nuts in a pan until it slightly brown. Keep this aside. Separate the basil leaves from the stem and wash it well. Take a blender and add basil leaves, roasted pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice & olive oil and blend it into a medium coarse paste. (U will not be able to see the olive oil & lemon juice in the pic) Then add salt, pepper powder & grated parmesan cheese and mix.

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That’s it. Basil Pesto is ready. Is it not quick enough??

Use it in pastas (recipe coming soon) or sandwiches/salads.

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Tips:

  1. U can substitute pine nuts with walnuts or any other nuts that u have handy.
  2. Add olive oil in batches so that grinding would be easier.
  3. Do not add water, the olive oil & lemon juice would help to grind it easily.
  4. U can reduce the amount of parmesan cheese or even skip it. Basil Pesto tastes good even without it.
  5. This can be stored for 3-4 days when refrigerated in an air tight container.
  6. Add salt accordingly as cheese has salt in it.

5 comments to Basil Pesto

  • veenashankar  says:

    healthy pesto I do it very often too

  • jaspinder kaur  says:

    Pesto is such a great all around sauce! You can do so much with it. Your photos are just gorgeous! Every one of them looks so professional!

  • nandoo  says:

    healthy pesto..

  • shweta a  says:

    always welcomed in summers 😉
    oh my my it is indeed one treat to eyes and tummy:)

  • Priya  says:

    After mint and coriander leaves, am a fan of basil leaves, pesto looks simply flavourful.

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