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Fresh Homemade Pesto in Minutes – Best Easy Recipe

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This fresh homemade pesto comes together in under 10 minutes with simple ingredients like basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, and olive oil. It’s brighter and more flavorful than store-bought versions, perfect for busy weeknights or impressing guests.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
  • 1/3 cup pine nuts
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
  • 2–3 cloves fresh garlic, peeled
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (optional but recommended)

Instructions

  1. Toast the pine nuts (optional but recommended): Place the pine nuts in a dry small skillet over medium heat. Shake the pan frequently and cook for 2-3 minutes until they become fragrant and just barely golden. Immediately transfer to a plate to cool.
  2. Prep your ingredients: Wash and thoroughly dry the basil leaves. Peel the garlic cloves. Grate your cheeses if you haven’t already.
  3. Combine the dry ingredients: Add the cooled pine nuts, garlic cloves, and salt to the food processor bowl. Pulse 5-6 times until everything is roughly chopped.
  4. Add the basil: Add the packed basil leaves on top of the nut mixture. Pulse another 5-6 times until the basil is finely chopped and starting to look like a coarse paste.
  5. Add the cheeses: Sprinkle the Parmesan and Pecorino Romano over the basil mixture. Pulse 3-4 times to combine.
  6. Stream in the olive oil: With the food processor running on low, slowly drizzle in the olive oil through the feed tube. Let it run for about 20-30 seconds until the pesto is smooth and emulsified.
  7. Finish with lemon juice and pepper: Add the lemon juice and black pepper. Pulse once or twice just to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  8. Scrape and serve: Use your rubber spatula to scrape every last bit of pesto out of the bowl. Serve immediately over pasta, spread on sandwiches, or use as a dip.

Notes

Toast pine nuts lightly for deeper flavor. Dry basil thoroughly to avoid watery pesto. Use room temperature ingredients. Start with 2 cloves of garlic and adjust to taste. Don’t over-process; leave some texture. Pesto freezes well in ice cube trays for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: pesto, homemade pesto, fresh pesto, basil pesto, easy pesto recipe, quick pesto, Italian sauce

Find it online: https://chloeplate.com/fresh-homemade-pesto-in-minutes-best-easy-recipe/