Quick & Simple Pesto (Classic Pesto Recipe) Sauce

Submitted by BlondieItaliana

"This is a pretty easy recipe for a classic pesto sauce. It can be served with pasta for "Pasta & Pesto" or spread on toasted Italian bread or on sandwiches and salads... You can blend it into bread or muffin mix. You can make Pesto Pizza. You can even add heavy cream if you desire a "creamy pesto sauce". The key is to use only FRESH BASIL. Note: Pine nuts are AKA Pignoli Nuts"

 

• Ready In: 10mins
• Ingredients: 5
• Yields: 1 1/4 cups

ingredients

• 2 cups basil leaves (fresh leaves only & firmly packed 2 cups)
• 3⁄4 cup parmesan cheese (grated)
• 3⁄4 cup olive oil (I use Extra-Virgin)
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1⁄4 cup pine nuts

directions

1. Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor & cover.
2. Blend on medium speed about 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape sides, until smooth.

Reviews

[TammieV]

Excellent. Did not toast pine nuts. I could eat this alone with no bread or pasta it is that good! I plan to use this often but will try a little less oil to cut calories.

 

[Bellablue]

I roasted the pine nuts and the garlic instead of putting them in raw. Delish! Loved this dish...Oh, and I added a little lemon, salt and pepper. Sprinkled some roasted pine nuts, basil ribbons and parm cheese on top. Beautiful and easy delish dish

 

[babytoothdoc]

I made this tonight with grilled chicken breasts and cavatappi pasta. Wow--delicious and fresh! I have already shared it with my best friend---I added a very little lemon juice and black pepper to suit out tastes. It was outstanding! Thanks so much for sharing this delicious recipe.

 

[Fantasygirl3127]

I feel bad giving this recipe such a low score since everyone seems to love it. However, I've made this recipe twice now and it just doesn't do it for us. I expected it to be better then the pre-package pesto sauces and it wasn't. Overall, I felt that the flavor was very mild. Even after adding oregano, salt, parsley, and pepper.

 

[5 Mule Team]

Super easy and so good! I made three batches since I had a lot of basil. I used cashews in place of the pine nuts. The second and third batches came out better than the first. The last two I really packed the basil into the 1 cup measure and had it heaping and used a light 3/4 cups of the oil and it came out perfectly. I also added a splash of lemon juice. We had it on spaghetti tonight for dinner and dh spread it on his garlic buttered toast (from bread we also just made fresh so it was a great meal!)