Homemade Basil Pesto
Homemade Basil Pesto is rich in flavor, vibrant, and super thick. This makes a great spread on sandwiches or toasts but there are many ways to enjoy it.
Homemade Basil Pesto Recipe
This Basil Pesto recipe is surprisingly easy and takes less than 10 minutes to make. It’s also healthy and packed full of nutrition! Made out of fresh basil leaves, cashews, pine nuts, parmesan, garlic, and olive oil, this pesto adds incredible fresh tastes and it’s so much better than store-bought.
I add just a few tablespoons of olive oil to this pesto recipe. First of all, to make it lower in calories and less oily. And secondly, for the thick consistency which I love. If you prefer a runnier consistency, I recommend adding a bit of water just before using the pesto sauce.
What Nuts Can You Use for Pesto?
I got a great result by mixing cashew with pine nuts instead of using just pine nuts like in traditional pesto recipe.
You can try walnuts, pecans, almonds, or sunflower seeds (or mix) if you wish. I also love the flavor of blanched and toasted almonds in this pesto recipe, but in my opinion, cashews make the texture smoother. Anyway, you’ll get an amazing sauce with basil and cheese taste and garlic and nutty flavor that can be used on just about everything.
How to Use Pesto?
Enjoy your Homemade Basil Pesto with many things:
- mix it with pasta or zoodles
- spread on toasts, sandwiches, or wraps
- put it over cooked chicken, meats, and fish
- make a pesto salad dressing
- combine it with plain Greek yogurt for a delicious and flavorful dip.
How to Store Pesto?
Homemade Basil Pesto can be used right away or refrigerated in a glass jar or container for up to 1 week. To keep the pesto green, top it with a thin layer of olive oil.
This pesto also freezes very well. Pour it into small containers, or silicon muffin cups, or ice cube trays and place in the freezer until solid. After that, transfer the frozen pesto to a zip-bag and keep in the freezer for up to 6 months. That’s a wonderful method to enjoy fresh Basil Pesto all winter long!
More Healthy Spreads and Sauces You May Like:
| Serving: | Prep time: | Cook Time: | Total Time: |
| for 12 people | 10 min | 0 min | 10 min |
Ingredients for Homemade Basil Pesto
- 3 cups (75g) basil leaves, packed
- 1/3 cup (50g) toasted pine nuts
- 1/2 cup (70g) toasted cashews
- 1/2 cup (35g) grated Parmesan
- 4 Tbsp. (25g) extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 3 garlic cloves
- salt and black pepper, to taste
How to Make Homemade Basil Pesto
- Rinse and pat dry the basil leaves.
- Place the basil leaves, nuts, Parmesan, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic cloves, salt, and pepper into a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is smooth.
- Taste the pesto and season with more salt, pepper, and lemon juice if desired.
- Store and enjoy!
How Many Calories in Basil Pesto
| Calories (per 1 serve, 25g): 94 cal | Calories (per 100g ): 375 cal |
|---|---|
| Fat: 7.9 g | Fat: 31.8 g |
| Carbohydrates: 3.2 g | Carbohydrates: 12.7 g |
| Protein: 2.8 g | Protein: 11.4 g |
Homemade Basil Pesto
Ingredients
- 3 cups 75g basil leaves, packed
- 1/3 cup 50g toasted pine nuts
- 1/2 cup 70g toasted cashews
- 1/2 cup 35g grated Parmesan
- 4 Tbsp. 25g extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 3 garlic cloves
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse and pat dry the basil leaves.
- Place the basil leaves, nuts, Parmesan, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic cloves, salt, and pepper into a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is smooth.
- Taste the pesto and season with more salt, pepper, and lemon juice if desired.
- Store and enjoy!
Notes
| Calories (per 1 serve, 25g): 94 cal | Calories (per 100g ): 375 cal |
|---|---|
| Fat: 7.9 g | Fat: 31.8 g |
| Carbohydrates: 3.2 g | Carbohydrates: 12.7 g |
| Protein: 2.8 g | Protein: 11.4 g |
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