Make a homemade Fresh Basil Pesto to save money and use in various recipes.
Basil pesto is a newer staple in my fridge. It is something I can quickly whip up and use in so many different recipes. Keep it in an air tight container or jar, drizzle some olive oil on top, and it will keep in the fridge for a few weeks. You can also freeze it for months. The easiest way to freeze it, is in smaller portions. Section it out in an ice cube tray, then when it’s frozen transfer the cubes to a freezer bag. Nuke it for 15 seconds in the microwave to quickly thaw.
Use this basil for a thin pizza sauce, toss with pasta, top some chicken, flavor a pastry and more. In the near future I’ll be sharing some ways I’ve used the basil pesto. As for now, I’ll leave you with the recipe I use to make mine. Remember, pesto is always made “to taste”. So, take away and add at your pleasure.
- 1 cup packed fresh basil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
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Add basil, pine nuts, garlic and Parmesan cheese to a food processor. Pulsate until thoroughly mixed. Slowly add the oil and pulsate until fully combined. Season with salt and pepper.
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Store in an air-tight container. Drizzle olive oil on top to keep fresh. Will keep for a few weeks in the fridge.
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To freeze: Section pesto into ice cube tray and freeze. When frozen, transfer to a freezer bag and keep frozen for 3-6 months.
Source: Adapted from Savory Sweet Life
Bob says
February 8, 2010 at 5:48 PMLove it. Pesto is one of those things that I always mean to make but never seen to have all the ingredients at the same time.
Ed Schenk says
February 8, 2010 at 8:07 PMAt the end of the summer I take all my basil and make a big batch of pesto. What I won’t use quickly gets frozen.
Denise says
February 8, 2010 at 9:00 PMYum! We love to do pesto pizza with tomatoes and mozzarella on the grill in the summer. Homemade pesto is so good!
Culinary Cory says
February 9, 2010 at 8:27 PMI LOVE pesto. It’s one of my favorite cooking ingredients. It’s such an easy way to bump up flavor to any recipe.