Light Basil Pesto with Parmesan
A vibrant, homemade basil pesto that’s perfect for pasta, sandwiches, and beyond.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 2 to 4 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cups fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Toast the pine nuts in a non-stick skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until golden brown.
- Prepare the garlic cloves by peeling them; keep raw garlic whole or cut in half for milder flavor.
- Blend toasted pine nuts, garlic, and salt in a food processor until coarsely chopped.
- Add basil leaves and parmesan, then pulse to mix.
- Stream in olive oil while processing to achieve a creamy consistency.
- Taste the pesto and adjust seasonings as needed.
Notes
For a vegan version, substitute nutritional yeast for parmesan. Store leftover pesto with olive oil on top to keep it fresh.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Calories: 80
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 100mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 1g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 4mg
Keywords: pesto, basil, sauce, Italian, vegetarian