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    Home » Recipes » Main Dish

    From Scratch Basil Pesto {so easy!}

    Published: Jul 14, 2016 · Modified: Feb 24, 2020 by Chellie Schmitz

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    from scratch basil pesto

    This From Scratch Basil Pesto recipe is SUPER delicious and SO easy, you'll wonder why you've ever bought jarred! 

    From Scratch Basil Pesto

    Do you wish you could have restaurant quality food at home? I'm not talking fast food burgers here, I mean those fancy restaurants that serve fancy sauces and fresh farm to table food. Or something like it. I have a number of things that I used to get only at restaurants, it just seemed so fancy and special occasion and I never even thought to make it at home.

    Ingredients for pesto sauce: fresh basil, olive oil, parmesan cheese, pine nuts.

    But that's all changed. And if you love flavorful food that you'd consider restaurant quality, you'll love this made from scratch basil pesto! It hardly takes any extra time at all to prepare, and is totally worth the effort.

    Homemade Pesto Sauce in a bowl garnished with a few pine nuts.

    Last year, my garden failed. 🙁  I was so sad. No tomatoes, no basil, no veggies. It was a sad year. But this year, my basil is flourishing! I'm so excited! I'll have plenty to make boatloads of pesto and freeze it! Then I can enjoy the fresh taste of summer (my favorite season) all year long!

    What you need~

    • fresh basil
    • olive oil
    • garlic
    • parmesan cheese
    • pine nuts
    Ingredients to make basil pesto from scratch.

    What to do~

    1. Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor and process until smooth.

    See? Wasn't that easy?

    Tips & Tricks~

    • You can add other 'greens' to your pesto such as spinach, peas, or cilantro.
    • Walnuts are a great substitute for pine nuts if you don't want to splurge for them. They can be a bit pricey.
    • To freeze, fill an ice cube tray with the pesto, freeze, then transfer to a freezer bag. They thaw out really quick and you can use it as your main sauce or add a 'cube' to your pasta sauce for extra flavor.
    • Use pesto on chicken, fish, steak, veggies, or just bread. The possibilities are endless!
    From scratch basil pesto in a white serving dish.
    from scratch basil pesto

    Basil Pesto

    Fresh is best! This delicious pesto is so easy to make from scratch, you'll wonder why you've never made it before!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: condiment, Side Dish
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes
    Servings: 5 min
    Calories: 4kcal
    Author: Chellie Schmitz
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    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ cups fresh basil loosely packed
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • ⅓ cup olive oil
    • ⅓ cup parmesan cheese shredded
    • ¼ cup pine nuts

    Instructions

    • Place all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor.
    • Process on high until well blended.
    • Store in an air tight container, or freeze.

    Notes

    To freeze: Spoon pesto into ice cube tray wells. Freeze for 1-2 hours. After they are frozen, gently remove each 'cube' and place them in a ziplock bag for storing. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 4kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 28mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 380IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg
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    ABOUT CHELLIE

    Chellie is the creator of Art From My Table, where her passion for delicious food and gathering with loved ones comes together. She believes anyone can cook a great meal, it doesn't have to be complicated or stressful. Her recipes and food photography have been featured in many publications including Buzzfeed, Southern Living, Today Food, and Fitness magazine. Read more...

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    1. Emily @ The Benson Street

      July 24, 2016 at 11:02 pm

      I love PESTO!!! I need to try to make my own now. Thanks for sharing at the Monday Funday Party. - Emily

    2. Kathryn @ Family Food on the Table

      July 18, 2016 at 8:14 am

      5 stars
      I love homemade pesto! And you're right - it's super duper easy. My basil plant is doing well this year too - yay! - so I'm hoping to make a big batch and freeze the extras to have on hand. Cause pesto makes EVERYTHING tastes better in my opinion 😉

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