At the beginning of the summer, I planted Basil in my herb garden. Lucky for me, the Basil grew really well and now I have enough to make homemade pesto. Pesto is something I had never tried to make at home. And it is so simple to make, you just won’t believe it. All you really need besides the ingredients is a good food processor. Now that I know how to do this, Basil has earned a permanent spot in my garden!
Of course, you can use store bought fresh Basil leaves for this recipe. Another great thing about this pesto is that you can freeze it for later. Simply thaw it out and add it to your cooked pasta on those nights when you are short on cooking time.
How To Freeze Pesto: Fill an ice cube tray with pesto. Drizzle olive oil over the top of each cube and cover with plastic wrap. Put in freezer and freeze until solid. Remove cubes from ice cube tray and store in an airtight container or baggie until ready to use. Pull out a few cubes and thaw the next time you need a quick meal!
Homemade Pesto Recipe
- 1 cup Walnuts, toasted
- 4 Garlic Cloves
- Grated Zest of 1 Lemon
- 2 T. Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1/8 T. Cayenne Pepper
- 2 Cups Fresh Basil Leaves, packed
- 1 Cup grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil (plus more if needed)
Directions:
- Combine walnuts, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, cayenne, basil, Parmesan, salt and pepper in a food processor. Pulse until well blended (about a minute).
- If pesto is too thick, add small amounts of olive oil or water and pulse until pesto is desired consistency.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Do you like pesto? Have you tried to make pesto at home? What is your favorite pesto dish? Let me know in the comments below!
Mahdi Martin says
I love making pesto. my favorite nut to use is pistachios. You should try it!
Anne Taylor says
I love making basil pesto! Its also lovely because basil is so easy to grow! Thanks for the recipe!
Helga says
I grow basil in my garden so this recipe comes in handy!
Danielle Royalegacy says
Sounds great, and I have all the fresh basil leaves that I need right in my garden.
Kitty Iecvan says
I love pesto! Yours looks yummy!
Small Footprints says
I love homemade pesto … mostly because I can control the amount of oil which gets a bit overwhelming for me. I love your addition of the lemon and Cayenne … bet they really wake up the flavor. I’d either use vegan Parmesan or simply leave it out. And here’s a tip for those who want to cut down on calories … try replacing all or any portion of the oil with vegetable broth … it’s wonderful! Thanks for sharing this recipe! 🙂
Becca says
I love pesto but I buy mine at Trader Joe’s. I have never made it myself. I love pesto chicken pizza!
ANN*H says
I like Pesto. I grow my own basil for this mostly. Thanks for the recipe, it look so good . I cant wait to try this one.
Natasha Rodriguez says
I love that you can freeze them! I will try this recipe for sure! Thank you!
Denise Taylor-Dennis says
This looks and sounds so delicious, I will have to Pin this and try it.