You know summer has arrived when you start seeing large bunches of basil dotting the tables of every farmers’ market stalls. We can never resist grabbing a few bunches each time we see them at their peak. The smell is one of our favorite things, and we love adding fresh pesto to everything from pasta to eggs.
When we inevitably buy too much basil, this is the first thing we make. During summer, we almost always have a jar of this easy pesto on hand for sandwiches, salad dressing, or to toss with pasta for a quick, weeknight dinner. We love pesto on just about everything and have made this recipe for years. It’s a staple in our fridge every summer.
Pesto Notes:
- Pine nuts or other nuts: Pine nuts can be difficult to find (and really expensive!). We love them most in our pesto, but you can also substitute for walnuts or another nut.
- Herbs: If you have mint, parsley, or other herbs on hand throw them in. It’ll be a great twist on a classic pesto
Some of our favorite pesto uses:
- Pesto Mayo: Mix together ½ mayo (we love Kewpie!) and ½ pesto for a delicious sandwich spread.
- Pesto Vinaigrette: Mix equal parts olive oil and pesto with some lemon juice for a wonderful salad dressing.
- Pesto Pasta: Pasta is always a good idea in our book and if you have pesto on hand, combine pesto, pasta water, and pasta into a pot with some extra parmesan cheese for a delicious one pot meal. We love adding a little lemon zest, peas, and artichoke hearts if you want to turn up the volume.
Recipe:
Easy Pesto
Ingredients
- 2 packed cups of basil 1 large bunch
- 1 large clove garlic or 2 small
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 1 cup grated parmesan 90 grams
- Extra olive oil for topping
- 2 tablespoons ice water
Instructions
- Add the basil, garlic clove, and pine nuts to a food processor
- Sprinkle in salt and pepper
- Pulse until begins to form a paste (~20 seconds)
- Removing part of the top attachment, stream in the ⅓ cup of olive oil while the food processor is running. Then add in the ice water. Stop the food processor once all the oil and water are added. Add in grated parmesan cheese. Continue to pulse for ~20 seconds until smooth pesto is formed.
- Remove base of the food processor and transfer the pesto into a mason jar or air tight container. Top the pesto with a thin layer of olive oil to keep the pesto from becoming brown (ensure none of the pesto is exposed and all parts are covered). Keep in the fridge for ~1 month or freeze.
Entertainer’s Note:
This makes a great gift! Make a double or triple batch and share with friends. It’s so easy to make and a great thing to share for housewarming or neighbors.
