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Basil pesto in a jar with spoon digging in

Basil Pesto Sauce

Basil Pesto is fresh, vibrant and better than anything you can buy at the store! It comes together in 15 minutes and it's freezer-friendly!
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Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup pine nuts
  • 4 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic peeled and halved; omit to make Low FODMAP
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil add more as needed to reach the desired texture

Instructions 

  • Toast the pine nuts in a small skillet over medium low heat, stirring frequently until golden and fragrant, about 5-6 minutes. Keep a close eye on them as they can burn very quickly.
    1/3 cup pine nuts
  • Add basil, garlic, nuts, lemon juice, parmesan cheese and salt to a food processor and pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber scraper.
    2 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 4 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
  • With the processor running, add the olive oil through the feed tube and process until the sauce reaches the desired consistency. Add more oil and adjust the salt to suit your taste. Enjoy!
    1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Notes

  • Pro tip:  Prepare pesto sauce up to a few days in advance or freeze in Souper cubes for up to 3 months to make dinner easier on busy nights.
  • Pine nuts may be raw or toasted, but toasting them adds flavor.  They may be subbed with walnuts or almonds.
  • While I personally don't blanch my basil or greens for pesto sauce, you can certainly opt to do that if you'd like your sauce to be a brighter shade of green.  Read this article for tips.
  • See my post How to Make Pesto Sauce for pesto sauce variations.
  • Use your pesto sauce for pizza and pasta, as a spread for sandwiches and burgers, in quinoa or farro salads, or as a condiment for roasted veggies!  

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoons, Calories: 123kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 3mg, Sodium: 123mg, Fiber: 1g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Did you try this recipe?Be sure to tag @flavorthemoments with the hashtag #flavorthemoments on Instagram so I can see what you made!