Light Pesto Sauce
"My pesto sauce uses less oil than most pesto sauces. This makes it thicker, but it also makes it a lot lighter. NOTE: This recipe works perfectly if you want to substitute cilantro for basil, and if you use walnuts, almonds, or pecans in place of the pine nuts."
photo by Late Night Gourmet
- Ready In:
- 10mins
- Ingredients:
- 6
- Serves:
-
10
ingredients
- 1 bunch fresh basil
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1⁄4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons parmigiano-reggiano cheese
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
directions
- Peel skin from garlic cloves, and chop into big chunks.
- Using a food processor, pulse basil, garlic, and nuts several times until finely chopped.
- Add cheese and ¼ cup of the olive oil, and pulse until blended.
- Pesto will be thick, so add more olive oil if desired for a looser consistency.
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Reviews
-
This is my second attempt. Are these reviews coming through? Anyway, I like the fact that calories are kept down, but I do it by reducing the amount of cheese. Olive oil is good for you!
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Late Night Gourmet
Harrison Township, Michigan
I have two teenagers who keep things very busy around our house during the daytime. I also work long hours at Ford Motor Company, and I do want to spend time with my family every day. If I try to cook when my kids have their friends over, I'm certain to be interrupted. In other words, my available times for cooking are very limited.
I don't want to give up on anything I love - my family, my job, my cooking - so I do most of my cooking after everyone has gone to bed. My wife is a teacher, so this can be very late at night during the summer. Sometimes, I don't get started with my prep work until 12:30 a.m. Am I crazy?? Maybe.
I'm also constantly working on healthier ways to prepare food. I deconstruct every recipe I like, and try to make it with healthier ingredients. The big challenge is keeping the food tasty. I believe it's possible to enjoy what you eat and still be healthy. I lost 15 pounds in 6 months largely by preparing my own food (and exercising). If I didn't keep such loony hours, I'd call myself "The Healthy Gourmet".
