Name: Homemade Basil Pesto
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 min
Ingredients: 4 cups fresh basil leaves; 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese; 1/4 cup pine nuts; 2 cloves garlic; kosher salt, pepper; 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup olive oil

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This Homemade Basil Pesto is the same recipe I have been making for 20 years.

I would for sure call this a “tried and true” recipe because it comes out perfect each and every time.

This is a straightforward, simple, traditional pesto… which I realize is not how I usually roll.

I’m all about putting twists and spins on traditional recipes, but this one is a classic.

Now don’t think you won’t eventually get some sort of crazy wild pesto recipe in the future, because I already have a few fun ideas in mind 😉

How to Make Homemade Basil Pesto

This is fresh basil from my garden, but you can easily buy fresh basil at most grocery stores in the produce section.

Basil, pinenuts, parmesan cheese, olive oil, garlic, kosher salt, and pepper is all you need to begin.

Oh, and a food processor is a must-have as well.

Four cups of fresh basil, packed in pretty tight is what I am using.

It barely fits in the food processor, but you can use a spoon to press it down to make room for the rest of the ingredients.

A half cup parmesan cheese, two garlic cloves, a quarter cup pine nuts, kosher salt, and pepper all go in with the basil to start.

pesto ingredients in food processor before blending

Turn the food processor on and drizzle in a half cup olive oil.

You may need to stop a few times to scrape the sides of the food processor.

Let it go in the food processor for a minute or two and check the consistency.

Turn it back on and drizzle in more olive oil if needed until it’s the thickness you prefer.

You can make several batches of Homemade Basil Pesto and freeze in individual containers to have year round 🙂

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