All seasons, all-time favourite PESTO! Creamy, zesty, herby flavour. You can eat it with pasta, meat, spread…well even just with a spoon! And you can easily make basil pesto yourself – with and without pine nuts. You only need a few ingredients for our delicious recipe and you have your own homemade fresh basil pesto in a short time.

For years I was searching for the right fresh basil pesto recipe…It was too garlicy – too cheesy – too sour….until I realized I should stop following any recipe and slowly step by step adding ingredients trying what is the best pesto for me (maybe it is not best pesto for you 🙂 ).

Basil pesto or pesto all genovese

Pesto comes from the Italian term pestare, meaning “pounding”. It is an uncooked spicy sauce of thick consistency, which Italian cuisine is serving primarily to noodles. The Genovese pesto is made according to a traditional recipe of basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil and grated Parmesan or Pecorino. Except coarse salt no spice is added.

You are looking for inspiration, how to use your fresh pesto? Here we have some ideas for you! 🙂

• • Fresh Pesto Swirl Bread
  • Grilled Eggplant Salad with Pesto Dressing
  • Heirloom Tomato Galette

If you make this Fresh Basil Pesto, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! We are happy to hear, how you like this recipe! And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag BeastFeast on Instagram!

Homemade Basil Pesto

Classic, simple basil pesto recipe with fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt and pepper

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: basil, olive oil, pesto, pine nut

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Equipment

• Food Processor

Ingredients

• 1 pcs Garlic Clove
• Big bunch of fresh basil
• Handful of pine nuts
• Handful of Parmesan Cheese grated
• 30 ml Olive Oil extra virgin
• 1 pcs Lemon
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions

• Peel the garlic and cut it in half. Chop in small pieces one half and add it in the food processor (other half add later if you think you needed it for the taste)
• Chop and add the basil leaves and pour slowly a tbsp of olive oil. Mash it all in food processor.
• Add the pine nuts to the mixture and mix again, then add parmesan (Trick 1: first toast pine nuts lightly on the pan, to give a creaminess in pesto. If you toast them until they are golden, your pesto will get nutty taste – up to you) 
• Keep adding all ingredients until you are happy with the taste and consistency.
• Add a squeeze of lemon juice (Trick 2: we add lime because it give more bitter taste) 
• Enjoy your BeastFeast!

Tried this recipe?Mention @beast_._feast or tag #beastfeasteats!