Pesto - don’t you just love the name! This fresh and flavourful sauce is up there on my list of favourites! My Homemade Basil Pesto is made with fresh basil leaves, olive oil, parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. To make it nut-free, I like using toasted pumpkin seeds, which give this pesto substance and additional depth of flavour.
This pesto is incredibly flavourful and extremely versatile. Toss it with freshly cooked pasta, use it as the base sauce for your next pizza, as a topping on your favourite protein - such as chicken, pork, steak, fish or even a fried egg or as a spread or smear for a sandwich or sub. The possibilities are really endless!
So, why buy store-bought pesto when you can make it at home using just a few ingredients, a food processor and 5 minutes of your time. Let’s get to it and I’ll show you how it’s done! Grab a spoon and come and cook with me!
For an unforgettable meal, use this pesto recipe to make my Spaghetti with Pesto Cream Sauce, Ciabatta Sandwich, Chicken Margherita and Ultimate Halloumi Sandwich with Roasted Vegetables recipes!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Serves: Makes 1 cup
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh basil, packed
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted (See Notes below)
2 cloves of garlic
1 - 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, to taste
1/4 tsp kosher salt
Pinch of ground pepper
An extra drizzle of olive oil, as a topping before storing
Instructions:
To a food processor, add the basil, olive oil, parmesan cheese, pumpkin seeds, garlic, salt and pepper and pulse or puree for at least 30 seconds or until the mixture is smooth.
Transfer the pesto into a bowl and drizzle 1 - 2 Tbsp of lemon juice over top (to taste). Mix until combined. Serve immediately.
To store pesto, transfer the pesto into an airtight container and drizzle olive oil over top. This will prevent the pesto from oxidizing and discolouring. Refrigerate until ready for use.
Notes:
Crazy About Nuts: If you are looking for a nut-based pesto, you can simply substitute the pumpkin seeds in this recipe with pine nuts, almonds or walnuts on a 1:1 basis.
Freezing the Pesto: This pesto keeps for 2 months in the freezer. If you like having the option of adding pesto into a variety of dishes or meals in a pinch, then I’ve got a solution for you! A good trick is to pour the pesto into an ice cube tray, freeze it and then transfer the cubes into a ziplock bag. Keep them stored in the freezer until ready for use.