basil pesto

Pesto is definitely a classic summertime food/ingredient, and it’s for good reasons.

How to Make Easy Basil Pesto

walnuts

garlic (crushed (with a knife or the back of a spoon))

basil leaves (packed)

parmesan cheese

lemon (juiced)

extra virgin olive oil (plus or minus)

salt (or

black pepper (to taste)

In a saucepan, over medium heat, toast the walnuts and garlic cloves, stirring every few minutes to avoid burning the ingredients. This usually takes about 5-7 minutes on our gas stove-top.

Once toasted, place the toasted walnuts and garlic cloves, basil leaves, cheese, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse the pesto for about 30-40 seconds, until everything is thoroughly combined and the basil leaves are finely chopped. With the food processor running (I use the high speed setting), drizzle the olive oil through the feed chute until you reach the desired consistency, add more or less olive oil as needed. I use about 2/3 cup + 2 tablespoons of olive oil for my pesto, but the final amount usually varies each time by a couple of tablespoons. If you'd like thicker pesto, use less olive oil. Finally, stir in the salt and pepper. I use 1/2 teaspoon of salt, but this amount will vary according to your taste, which is why it's added at the end.

Store the fresh pesto in an air-tight container in the fridge for several days. Pesto is a great freezer food, too. Simply freeze the pesto in an ice cube tray, then place the frozen cubes in a baggie or freezer container.

Homemade tomato basil pesto soup uses roasted tomatoes, carrots and onions as a base. Blended into a thick soup, and then flavored with basil pesto, this soup is easy and healthy. Its naturally gluten free and vegan.

Tomato Pesto Soup

Heirloom Tomatoes (ripe)

Carrots

Onion

Roma Tomatoes

Cloves

Olive Oil

Salt (divided)

Red Chilli Flakes

Pepper

Vegetable Stock (divided)

Sugar

Balsamic Vinegar

Basil Pesto (basil, coriander, garlic, salt, pepper, water, olive oil)

Preheat oven at 180 C/ 350 F.

Quarter both the roma and heirloom tomatoes. Cut the onions and carrots into big chunks.

Place the tomatoes, carrots, onions and garlic on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle half teaspoon salt on top. Give everything a good toss and place in the oven to bake for an hour. Alternatively you can also grill all the vegetables on a grill pan on the stove with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt.

Transfer the grilled vegetables with their juices into a blender. Add a cup of stock and blend till smooth.

Transfer to a pot with the remaining stock and cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes. Add sugar, balsamic vinegar and chilli flakes and bring it to a quick boil.

Finish with 2-3 tablespoons of the basil pesto.

Taste the soup for seasoning and add more pesto and salt or pepper as required. Serve hot with grilled cheese, croutons or crackers.

Basil pesto pasta will keep you warm in the cooler months, and it's ready in a flash!

Basil Pesto Pasta

linguine

basil leaves

pine nuts, toasted

garlic clove, crushed

olive oil

Salt and pepper, to season

Basil pesto pasta

https://resources.newscdn.com.au/cs/video/vjs/stable/build/index.html?id=5348771529001-5583874044001&=domain=taste

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Can you make pesto with cashews? You bet. This basil cashew pesto is bright green and full of flavor; it tastes just like the classic!

Cashew Pesto with Basil

raw cashews

Parmesan cheese

garlic cloves

basil

lemon juice

salt

olive oil, plus additional as needed

In a small dry skillet, toast the cashews over medium high heat, stirring constantly, for about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove them to a bowl and allow them to cool slightly. (This step is optional, but brings out a more robust flavor in the nuts.)

In food processor*, combine the cashews, cheese, and peeled garlic. Process until finely ground, 20 to 30 seconds.

Add the basil, lemon juice and kosher salt. Turn on the food processor and gradually pour in the olive oil. Once combined, turn off the food processor. Blend in a bit more olive oil if desired, to achieve a looser texture. Stores for about 1 week in the refrigerator and several months frozen.

This creamy pesto pasta sauce made from scratch is the perfect way to use your growing basil plants!

Creamy Pesto Pasta

basil leaves (see note

extra virgin olive oil

pine nuts (see note

cheese

garlic,

tsp kosher salt

tsp black pepper

unsalted butter

heavy cream

tsp crushed red pepper flakes

tagliatelle

pasta water (see note

Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a...

Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil, cook pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/3 cup of pasta water and drain pasta.

While pasta is cooking, in a food processor...

While pasta is cooking, in a food processor add the basil leaves, garlic cloves, pine nuts, cheese, salt/pepper. Pulse until all ingredients are chopped. On high, slowly pour in the olive oil through the spout. Open and scrape the sides with a spatula to get any leaves that might have been stuck. Blend again and add additional 2 tbsp olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. (To stop here and store pesto, see note #5)

In a large skillet with high walls over...

In a large skillet with high walls over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp unsalted butter, add in the pesto, and stir to combine. Add in the 3 tbsp of heavy cream and crushed red pepper flakes (optional, if you do not like spicy then omit). Whisk together until the sauce is smooth and fully combined. Lower heat to simmer.

Add in the cooked/drained pasta into the pesto...

Add in the cooked/drained pasta into the pesto sauce and using tongs, carefully toss to coat the pasta. Add in 2-3 tbsp of reserved pasta water until the pasta is fully coated with the sauce and silky.

Serve with additional cheese over the top (optional)....

Serve with additional cheese over the top (optional). Enjoy!

This quick and easy chicken pasta is sure to become a week-night favourite.

Chicken, pesto and tomato pasta

chicken breast fillets, fat

casarecce pasta

cherry tomatoes, halved

cream

pine nuts

garlic cloves, roughly chopped

https://resources.newscdn.com.au/cs/video/vjs/stable/build/index.html?id=5348771529001-5770870296001&=domain=taste

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Throw this tasty dish together for dinner tonight and you'll have the entire family asking for more!

Basil pesto chicken

fettuccine

chicken breast fillets, thinly sliced

parmesan,

basil leaves, to serve

Use up leftover roast chicken, or buy a barbecued chicken from the supermarket, and turn it into this super easy pasta dish.

Creamy chicken pesto pasta

penne rigate

light cream

green onions, sliced

chicken

sun-dried tomatoes,

green onions,

Crusty bread, to serve

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This sauce is rich and creamy and so yum. Throw in some grilled chicken, shrimp or broccoli to change it up.

Creamy Pesto Pasta Recipe

Basil

tbsp extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

pasta,

Heat olive oil over medium heat.

Add pesto and mix into the oil. Be...

Add pesto and mix into the oil. Be sure to stir often as the pesto warms.

When the pesto is warmed and just a...

When the pesto is warmed and just a little bubbly, slowly stream in the heavy cream as you stir. (You can always add more cream it you'd like.)

Add some pasta water to thin out the...

Add some pasta water to thin out the sauce, if needed.

Turn down the heat and continue to stir...

Turn down the heat and continue to stir to incorporate the cream and pesto. Salt and pepper to taste.

Our easy homemade basil pesto recipe adds fresh and bright summer flavor to chicken pasta for a simple, satisfying weeknight meal your family will love!

Basil Pesto Chicken Pasta

pecorino cheese (or parmesan)

garlic (peeled)

salt and pepper

pasta

Set out a food processor. Place the basil leaves, pine nuts, pecorino cheese, garlic clove, and lemon juice in the food processor. Cover and pulse until finely ground.

Then add in the olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon ground pepper. Pulse again until a smooth, thick pesto sauce is formed. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed.

For the Basil Pesto:

Set a large pot of salted water over high heat, and set out a mixing bowl. Once the water is boiling, stir the pasta into the water. Cook to al dente, according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta and place in the bowl.

Stir in the shredded cooked chicken. Allow the temperature of the pasta to come down a little, as to not cook the pesto. Once the pasta is warm (not hot) stir in the pesto, one half cup at a time, until it is as saucy as you like.

Serve at room temperature, or cold. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

For the Pesto Chicken Pasta:

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/LDIBPMzy.mp4

Basil Pesto Chicken Pasta Recipe - Our easy homemade basil pesto recipe adds fresh and bright summer flavor to chicken pasta for a simple, satisfying weeknight meal your family will love. Plus it's a perfect stress-free make ahead dish!

Homemade basil pesto is so easy to make! Learn how to make basil pesto with this recipe, plus learn how to properly toss it with pasta, and freeze leftovers. Recipe yields 1 cup pesto, which is enough to toss with about 12 ounces of pasta.

Basil Pesto

raw pine nuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans or pepitas

basil leaves (about 3 ounces or 2 large bunches)

garlic, roughly chopped

fine sea salt

(Optional) Toast the nuts or seeds for extra flavor: In a medium skillet, toast the nuts/seeds over medium heat, stirring frequently (don&#8217;t let them burn!), until nice and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour them into a bowl to cool for a few minutes.

To make the pesto, combine the basil, cooled nuts/seeds, Parmesan, lemon juice, garlic and salt in a food processor or blender. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Continue processing until the mixture is well blended but still has some texture, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary.

Taste, and adjust if necessary. Add a pinch of salt if the basil tastes too bitter or the pesto needs more zing. Add more Parmesan if you&#8217;d like a creamier/cheesier pesto. If desired, you can thin out the pesto with more olive oil. (Consider, however, that if you&#8217;re serving the pesto on pasta, you can thin it with small splashes of reserved pasta cooking water to bring it all together. See notes for details.)

Store leftover pesto in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 week. You can also freeze pesto—my favorite way is in an ice cube try. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag, then you can thaw only as much as you need later.

Love this recipe.

Mandarina - spinach, mint, pistachios sounds amazing. I'm going to steal this from you!

Hmm at first when I saw the ingredients I was a bit afraid of using cheese but you got my back. 
Thanks for the recipe. ☺️

I am so stealing this hack!! 

I love to cook so I always love to see different ways to make many dishes. I had never come across this hack and when I read it I was like “I am so stealing her hack” thank you so much x

Another great recipe from Cookie and Kate! So easy and yummy. I made it just as written. Reading about other variations made me remember that I once made pesto from garlic mustard, and very invasive “weed” in our area that is edible, and in wooded areas never in short supply! I had someone identify it for me, otherwise I’m not inclined to take my chances on unknown plants.

This is summer on a plate.......really wonderful! The only thing I did differently was to VERY briefly blanch the basil and then dry it well in a towel. I know that I can't eat it all right away and blanching the basil keeps it a gorgeous emerald green right to the last garlicky spoonful.

i made this pesto with cashews, because that's what i had on hand! also threw in a handful of kale from the garden and it was DELICIOUS.  my husband &amp; i both loved it, so we're making it again this week for dinner.  thank you for your recipes - they taste wonderful but without being fussy or intimidating!

Was looking for a good pesto recipe, have never made one before. This was very good. I only made half the recipe because I didn't have enough basil for the whole recipe and it worked out just fine with still some left over. I went to a local restaurant and they had a sandwich with hummus, roasted veggies, and pesto that I wanted to recreate. Delicious! Will definitely make again!

Got a big bunch of basil from my farm co-op, so I made this yesterday from your cookbook, and froze it in an ice-cube tray.  Now I have delicious little pesto cubes to add to soup, roasted veggies, and probably everything else! Today I'm going to try the same with leftover cilantro, parsley, maybe some arugula, and toasted pepitas.

Delicious!  I used pine nuts. My husband said "restaurant quality"! (And we live in NYC).

Perfect Pesot!
I have 3 cups of basil a week from my CSA box and have been winging it when I make pesto with walnuts. I have tons of last summer's batches in my freezer. This year I decided to follow your recipe and it is spot on! I used pine nuts this year. I think your proportions are on the money! Some of last summer's batches taste too lemony, or not salty enough, but your recipe has the perfect balance. A quick sautee of garlic, cherry tomatoes and zucchini from my box, brown rice pasta and a few frozen cubes of your pesto, a little extra cheese and my day is complete; perfect lunch with perfect pesto!

I use a similar recipe. Mine incledes lemon zest as well as lemon juice. I'm glad to see you recommend almonds as I've been afraid to try them. I've always use pine or walnuts. I will now try almonds. I also agree that extra basil leaves freeze very well.

I have always wanted to try and make this but always thought it was way too difficult so thank you for making it look simple it's on my list to do tomorrow and hopefully as all your other replies have been it should taste wonderful thank you again

Made this with some roasted red pepper and spinach tossed in with the pasta... very tasty!

Best recipe ever, I am not even kidding you! I made the vegan version yesterday and it turned out so creamy and SO heavenly.  It's my new go to! I also love your chili recipe! Thank you so much!!!

The lemon juice gave it the perfect kick!  I even added a little more.  Great recipe.

Kate (and Cookie) this recipe was absolutely lovely! You gave me a great insight into why everything was needed too which was a great touch. I had fresh basil plants too which definitely adds a little more to the recipe. Thank you!

Thank you so much for a extremely exciting and easy recipe. First time I have made pesto and it tastes brilliant!! I did put extra salt in (my bad) so would need to watch that next time but other than it was brilliant!

Bonjour!
Je suis assez puriste j'ai donc expérimenté des centaines de x le pesto genovese et une seule x j'ai utilise des amandes cela n'est pas concluant! il faut des pignons des vrais chers oui mais ce n'est pas pour rien...de plus j'y ajoute un super gros bouquet de persil en plus du basilic aussi largement et du frais moi, le surgelé, il est mort ce basilic là!!!l'ail oui mais une gousse moyenne suffit il doit juste sublimer le pesto et le sel pas trop car le parmesan vient en donner par contre j'ajoute tout en fin de préparation  deux a quatre cuillères à soupe d'eau tièdie de la cuisson des pâtes cela rend le pesto crémeux et onctueux VIVA ITALIA ! merci pour votre blog anne

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/BYREwG69.mp4

Learn how to make homemade basil pesto in this video. It’s easy and delicious! You’ll simply need basil, nuts, Parmesan, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and salt.

How to Make Basil Pesto

These individual filo pastry parcels are packed with vegies. Serve with basil pesto and you are sure to have a dinner-winner for the whole family.

Ratatouille & Persian feta filo parcels

green shallots, thinly sliced

zucchini,

red capsicum, deseeded,

eggplant,

garlic clove, finely chopped

tsp plain flour

continental parsley

tbsp sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar

filo pastry

butter, melted, cooled

Persian feta, crumbled

Basil pesto, to serve

This fresh basil pesto recipe is easy to make with pine nuts (or walntus), garlic, Parmesan cheese, and a generous drizzle of quality extra virgin olive oil. Make ahead and store in the fridge or freezer for later use. Be sure to read through my post and watch the video for important tips!

Homemade Basil Pesto Recipe

garlic (roughly chopped)

pine nuts (or walnuts, toasted)

½ lemon

extra virgin olive oil (plus more for storing)

Kosher salt and black pepper (to taste)

Quickly blanch the basil. Prepare a bowl of ice water and set aside near  your stove. Fill a small saucepan halfway with water and bring to a boil. Drop the basil leaves in the boiling water and blanch for 5 to 10 seconds or until wilted. Using tongs, transfer the basil leaves to prepared ice water to stop cooking.

Dry the basil very well. Pick up the basil leaves and wrap them in paper towel and squeeze to wring out all the water.

Make the pesto. Place the basil, garlic, pine nuts, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade. With the processor running, slowly pour the extra virgin olive oil. Do not run the processor too long, you want to have a little bit of texture to your basil pesto.

Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Transfer the basil mixture to a small bowl. Add the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix to combine. If needed add a little bit more extra virgin olive oil to mix.

Use immediately or store for later (see notes for storage).

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/mMgpv7Oq.mp4

Homemade Basil Pesto

Simple Basil Pesto is easy to make using fresh basil leaves and stays good in the fridge for several days. Use it on pastas, sandwiches, gnocchi, pizza, and more!

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