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    Home » Harvesting

    Homemade Basil Pesto Recipe

    Published: Sep 1, 2019 · Modified: Dec 14, 2021 by Shelby Law Ruttan · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    Homemade Basil Pesto made with fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, cheese and olive oil is a delicious condiment recipe that adds flavor and color to your meals.
    Homemade Basil Pesto Recipe

    Homemade Basil Pesto is a fresh and delicious burst of flavors in your mouth. The fresh basil leaves, grated parmesan cheese, and pine nuts come together in this irresistibly delicious condiment recipe!

    Homemade Basil Pesto

    We love this recipe for homemade pesto and use it in so many ways. While my favorite way is on a spoon, we also enjoy it on pizza, in Pesto Chicken Salad, and on sandwiches. It is a condiment that is not only keto friendly, but is easy to preserve. You can freeze the pesto in ice cube trays and have individual portions that make it easy to just pop, thaw, and use in your desired recipe!

    Why I make fresh pesto

    Fresh Basil is so fun to grow and it is not that hard to do! You can either grow it in your garden, in a planter box, or in a potted plant dish. We grew ours in a planter box that Grumpy built for our deck. It is pretty hearty, likes water and sun, and smells so wonderful when the breeze comes through!

    Pesto Sauce is not really cheap to make. As a matter of fact, you can probably buy it in the grocery store just about as cheap as you can make it. However, when I do make it, I individually freeze portions to help it keep longer. That way I can have fresh pesto anytime I want it!

    Homemade Basil Pesto Recipe

    Tips for making Homemade Basil Pesto

    • The most important thing is to have the right equipment. You can use a food processor or blender. Whichever is easiest for you. I prefer the food processor.
    • Fresh basil leaves are a must. We always wash the basil, then pick the leaves off the stem. This recipe will take about 2 cups of fresh basil leaves.
    • Fresh grated parmesan cheese is best. In a pinch you could use the dried variety, but my preference is always to grate my own.
    • If you decide to season with salt and pepper, I suggest doing so by taste preference. Some parmesan cheese are saltier than others.
    • Homemade Basil Pesto should have a bright green color. If you don't plan to use it up quickly, I recommend a bit of lemon juice be added to help keep that brightness.

    Steps to making homemade pesto

    Start with 2 cups of freshly washed basil leaves. If you haven't grown your own basil, it is readily available at the farmer's market, or in the grocery store in large quantities for a decent price.

    I always use freshly grated parmesan cheese. There is nothing wrong with dried parmesan cheese, however, I prefer fresh.

    We always start by pulsing the fresh basil leaves by themselves first to chop them into smaller pieces.

    Then we add pine nuts, cheese, and garlic.

    Pulse the ingredients to break them down. Be sure to use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the food processor periodically to get all the big pieces broken down.

    Next, stream in the olive oil while the food processor is running. The oil should be added slowly to help it emulsify and keep it from separating.

    streaming the olive oil into the food processor

    Store the pesto in a sealed container in your refrigerator up to one week. Alternatively, you can store the pesto in your freezer up to 1 month.

    How to use homemade basil pesto

    Homemade Basil Pesto is so fresh and delicious and is a great addition to so many foods. We have used it often in recipes like Pesto Chicken Salad, Pesto Steak and Arugula Pizza, and Grilled Asparagus Halloumi Salad.

    What to do with leftover pesto

    • Portion the pesto out into ice cube freezer trays and then freeze until solid. Remove from tray and store in a freezer bag.
    • Toss it in with hot pasta. Or, stir some in with a potato salad. It is also delicious dabbed on top of a fried egg!
    • Air-fry some chicken wings, then toss them with some pesto!
    • Make a low carb pizza crust, spread with pesto and sprinkle with cheese for some pesto cheese breadsticks!

    You may also like

    Pesto can be made with just about any nut. Another favorite pesto recipe of ours is this one for Homemade Pistachio Pesto!

    *If you made this recipe, please give it a star rating!*

    Homemade Basil Pesto Recipe

    Homemade Basil Pesto

    Shelby Law Ruttan
    Homemade Basil Pesto made with fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, cheese and olive oil is a delicious condiment recipe that adds flavor and color to your meals.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Go to Collections
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 0 mins
    Total Time 10 mins
    Course Condiment
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 32 servings
    Calories 55 kcal

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cups fresh basil leaves packed
    • ½ cup pine nuts
    • ¾ cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
    • 3 large fresh garlic cloves
    • ½ teaspoon salt , or to taste
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper , or to taste
    • ½ cup olive oil

    Instructions
     

    • Pulse basil in a food processor several times.
    • Add the pine nuts, garlic, and cheese. Pulse several more times, scraping down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula.
    • Slowly add olive oil while the food processor is running. Be sure to scrape down sides of food processor intermittently during this process.
    • Season with salt and pepper.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1tablespoonCalories: 55kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 36mgPotassium: 21mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 99IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 29mgIron: 1mg
    Keyword basil pesto, homemade basil pesto, homemade basil pesto recipe, homemade pesto
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    About Shelby Law Ruttan

    Honeybunch Hunts is a website dedicated to sharing canning and dehydrating recipes, wild game recipes, fish, seafood, plant based recipes, and some DIY scattered in between. Written by Shelby Law Ruttan, is also author and owner of Grumpy’s Honeybunch, and The Best Vegetarian Recipes. Shelby has also authored two cookbooks, The One Pot Paleo Cookbook and The Pescatarian Keto Cookbook.

    Reader Interactions

    Trackbacks

    1. Heirloom Tomato Pizza with Pesto Sauce - Grumpy's Honeybunch says:
      September 7, 2019 at 3:17 pm

      […] produce and relax with your family and friends after along week! The pizza dough is covered with a Homemade Basil Pesto Recipe and is decorated with gorgeous heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozzarella […]

      Reply
    2. Homemade Croutons With Onion And Garlic - Honeybunch Hunts says:
      August 5, 2020 at 6:42 am

      […] Homemade Basil Pesto […]

      Reply
    3. Cranberry Chipotle Sauce - Condiment Recipe - Honeybunch Hunts says:
      August 31, 2020 at 7:26 am

      […] Homemade Basil Pesto […]

      Reply
    4. Homemade Cocktail Sauce Recipe - Sugar-Free Keto - Honeybunch Hunts says:
      November 30, 2020 at 3:21 pm

      […] Homemade Basil Pesto is the best pesto to consume! Store-bought pestos may be tasty, but they are costly. You can make your own for a lot less. One of our favorite ways to enjoy this pesto is on this Heirloom Tomato Pizza. […]

      Reply
    5. Italian Vinaigrette Recipe | Low Carb Keto Dressing - Grumpy's Honeybunch says:
      March 30, 2021 at 11:31 am

      […] Homemade Basil Pesto […]

      Reply

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    Welcome! I'm Shelby, author of Honeybunch Hunts. I grew up with self sustaining parents and enjoyed the fruits of their harvest. This website is dedicated to recipes to preserve that harvest, and how to be self sustainable along....

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