Easy Basil Pesto
This homemade pesto recipe comes together in just 5 minutes! Combine fresh basil, parmesan cheese, olive oil, lemon juice, and pine nuts in a small food processor and process until smooth.
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Cook Time0 minutes mins
Total Time5 minutes mins
Course: Condiments
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: pesto, pesto recipe
Servings: 5
Author: Lee Funke
- 1 cup packed basil leaves fresh (~20-22 fresh basil leaves)
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 medium clove garlic
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Place all ingredients into a high-speed food processor.
Process on high for about 1 to 2 minutes. Stop to scrape the sides as needed. Make sure not to over-process as some grittiness is great for the texture of pesto.
If your pesto is too thick, add more olive oil by the teaspoon and pulse until mostly smooth.
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id="VU0rvmeg" upload-date="2021-07-02T22:27:06.000Z" name="Pesto Recipe" description="This basil pesto is made with simple ingredients of fresh basil, parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. This pesto recipe is perfect for bread dipping and delicious tossed with pasta."]
- Makes about 1/3 cup pesto. Serving size is ~2 tablespoons.
- This recipe was updated on June 17th, 2021.
- Don't over-process your pesto or it may turn slimy.
- Storage: store fresh pesto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- To freeze: transfer 1-2 tablespoons of pesto into a silicone ice cube tray. Freeze for at least 8 hours and then transfer into a gallon-size plastic bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Calories: 145kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 0g