This recipe is inspired by my two favorite cooks--my mom and my sister. They both have created homemade pesto this summer and I absolutely loved their recipes, so I decided to try making my own. I used fresh basil from our garden along with California Olive Ranch olive oil (I highly recommend it!) Check out the recipe below along with some ideas on how to use your pesto sauce.
Ingredients (makes about 1 cup of pesto)
- 2 cups basil
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 3/4 cups shredded parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
How to make it
- combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor
- blend/process until ingredients until well combined
- can add more salt/pepper to taste depending on your preferences
Finished product
How to use your pesto
- top a pasta dish with it
- use it as a dressing for your veggies and/or salad
- use it in place of pizza sauce
- mix it with hummus and dip veggies and crackers in it
- spread it on your favorite bruschetta
Variations
If you are looking to incorporate more veggies into the pesto, try subbing spinach for half of the basil. Additionally, if you don't enjoy a light lemon taste, substitute 1 tsp. balsamic vinaigrette or 1/4 tsp. salt for the lemon juice.
All in all
This fresh basil pesto is delicious and can be used in many different recipes. All you have to do is gather your ingredients, and the blender or food processor does the rest of the work! Wondering what I am going to make with my pesto? Keep an eye out for a post on my kao inspo Instagram page...just follow the link below.
