Fresh Basil Pesto

Fresh Basil Pesto

Toasting the nuts first gives this bright green pesto a warm, rounded undertone. The food processor turns them into a smooth paste before the herbs go in, so the sauce stays lively and lush.

Butter Club Notes

Fresh pesto is one of those recipes that makes your kitchen smell incredible before you even taste it. I'll usually make a batch when I have extra basil because it disappears fast. Toss it with hot pasta, spread it on a sandwich, spoon it over roasted vegetables, or swirl it into soup. Once you've made pesto from scratch, it's hard to get excited about the little jars from the grocery store.

How to Make Fresh Basil Pesto

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Fresh Basil Pesto: Toast the Nuts
01

Toast the Nuts:

Lightly toast the pine nuts and walnuts until fragrant.

Fresh Basil Pesto: Blend the Nuts
02

Blend the Nuts:

Blend the nuts with olive oil into a smooth paste.

Fresh Basil Pesto: Add the Herbs
03

Add the Herbs:

Blend in the basil, parsley, garlic, and lemon juice.

04

Season to Taste:

Finish with salt and pepper until balanced.

05

Serve or Store:

Use immediately or refrigerate for later.

Fresh Basil Pesto

Fresh Basil Pesto

Toasting the nuts first gives this bright green pesto a warm, rounded undertone. The food processor turns them into a smooth paste before the herbs go in, so the sauce stays lively and lush.

By Alex Stone

Prep15 minCook5 minTotal20 MINUTESDifficultyEasy
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Ingredients

Scale

Instructions

Instructions

  1. 2 tbsp pine nuts, 1 tbsp walnuts
  2. toasted nuts, ⅓ cup olive oil
  3. 1 cup basil, 2 tbsp parsley, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp lemon juice
  4. ½ tsp kosher salt, ¼ tsp black pepper

Nutrition (Approximate Per Serving)

Yield

About 1 cup pesto — Serving size: 1 tablespoon

Calories
72
Carbohydrates
1 g
Protein
1 g
Fat
7 g
Saturated Fat
1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat
1 g
Monounsaturated Fat
5 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
74 mg
Potassium
42 mg
Fiber
0 g
Total Sugars
0 g
Vitamin A
485 IU
Vitamin C
3 mg
Calcium
18 mg
Iron
0.4 mg

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