Pesto Recipe

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This pesto recipe, inspired by a trip to New Zealand, is a total game-changer! Easy to make and packed with flavor, it’s the perfect way to elevate any dish.

Prep Time15

Total Time15

Course: Appetizer, Condiment

Cuisine: Healthy, Vegetarian

Keyword: creamy pesto orzo, Pesto Recipe

Servings:

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $7.87

Equipment

Small pan
Food scale see note 1
Food processor or blender or nut grinder, see note 2

Ingredients

2-1/2 tablespoons pine nuts
4 ounces fresh basil see note 3
11 tablespoons olive oil or 3/4 cup minus 1 tablespoon
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese see note 4
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper

US - Metric

Instructions

Preheat a small pan over medium-high heat (don’t add oil). Add pine nuts in an even layer and toast, stirring frequently, until lightly golden brown. Watch carefully! Once toasted, immediately transfer them to a bowl and let cool.
Add all the ingredients except oil to a food processor or blender. Season to taste; I add a heaping 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Pulse until ingredients are finely chopped. Scrape edges with a spatula as needed.
While pulsing, gradually add the oil. Continue to pulse until pesto is smooth (or to your desired consistency). If you can’t quite get the pesto as smooth as you’d like, consider transferring it to a nut grinder and further processing it (see note 2) or keep stirring/scraping the edges and continue to pulse in the food processor/blender.
Taste and adjust, adding a touch more salt if it tastes bitter, more lemon juice for a brighter flavor, or more cheese for a creamier texture. Remember, it’s a very concentrated flavor, so it mellows out when used in a dish! It’s also supposed to be thick, but you can further thin it with more oil if desired.
Read through the blog post for loads of ideas how to use pesto. My favorite way is to make pesto pasta or to spread on avocado toast, sandwiches, or wraps.

Notes

Note 1: Getting the right amount of basil for your pesto can be a challenge. Packing it in a measuring cup will greatly vary the amount used. If possible, use a food scale. And if you have a food scale, toggle over on the recipe card to “metric” and use grams for the whole recipe—always more accurate!

Note 2: This nut grinder is my favorite way to make pesto! I’ll start it in a blender or food processor and transfer it to the nut grinder for an even smoother consistency.

Note 3: You’ll need 4 ounces or about 100–110 grams of fresh basil leaves. If you don’t have a food scale, I recommend purchasing basil from a packet that indicates the ounces or grams. This way, you can be sure you have the right amount of basil, and your pesto will turn out perfectly every time. It’s important to use fresh basil leaves—if they’ve been sitting in your fridge for too long, the basil will quickly turn brown when blended.

Note 4: Use a block of Parmesan and grate it on the small holes of a grater. Alternatively, use finely grated Parmesan cheese. Parmesan from the can will be too salty and won’t integrate well.

Storage: Keep pesto in a super airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Freeze leftover pesto in ice cube trays: Fill each portion of the ice tray with pesto, freeze until solid, and transfer the cubes to a freezer bag.

Nutrition