Summer Garden Basil Pesto

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This homemade basil pesto is full of Summer flavors ─ fresh herbs, garlic, lemon. What more could you ask for? A nutty, herbaceous sauce, pesto is the perfect topping for pasta, chicken, pizza, bruschetta, and pretty much anything else your heart desires. Try something fresh this Summer by making your own homemade basil pesto sauce.

Why You’ll Want This Recipe

• Nutrient Rich – Fresh pesto is high in antioxidants, protecting your body from free-radicals. It is also full of healthy fats, providing tons of vitamins and minerals.
• Fresh Summer Flavors – Summer is the time to eat fresh! Whether or not you grow your own herbs, you can indulge in the season by whipping up this homemade basil pesto.
• Quick and Easy! – It literally takes 5 minutes of throwing a few things in a food processor. How nice is that?

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Tools You May Need

Food Processor – We use a simple Black and Decker. It’s affordable and has worked great for us.

Ingredients

Fresh Basil

Extra Virgin Olive Oil – The quality of your oil will make the difference in any pesto recipe. Be sure to look for an olive oil in a dark bottle, and avoid overly cheap brands. Ideally, you will be able to find a certification (IOC or COOC) or better yet, a harvest date on the bottle. Just remember that more expensive does not always equal better.

Toasted, Unsalted Pine Nuts

Parmesan – Freshly shredded will give you a better, sharper flavor than the powdery, grated form of parmesan.

Fresh Oregano – optional

Seared Jalapeños – or Thai chilies for an extra kick!

Garlic Cloves

Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

Sea Salt

Black Pepper

How to Make Homemade Basil Pesto

Step 1: Add the garlic cloves—and seared peppers, if using—to a food processor and pulse until finely minced. If your food processor struggles with small items, feel free to mince them by hand on a cutting board, then toss them into the processor.

Step 2: Add the basil, oregano, pine nuts, cheese, lemon juice, salt, and pepper into the food processor. Blend until everything is well combined.

Step 3: With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil in a steady stream. This will help the oil emulsify and mix into the pesto better, giving a smoother sauce.

Tips

• This dish is all in the quality of the ingredients. Keep this in mind when shopping to make pesto.
• Pesto keeps its bold, fresh flavor best when it isn’t cooked. If you can, stir it in right after your dish comes off the heat. That way, it warms up without losing its bright, herby bite.
• If you need to toast your own pine nuts, add them to a dry skillet in a single layer. Heat it to medium-low, and toast the pine nuts for 3-5 minutes until they are golden and smell nutty, about 3-5 minutes.

Storage

• To refrigerate fresh pesto, store it in an airtight container and add a small layer of olive oil on top to keep it from browning. It will last for up to two weeks in the fridge.
• You can freeze your pesto in ice cube trays and then transfer the cubes into a freezer bag. You can also freeze it in a sealed glass jar. Either way, pour a small layer of olive oil over the pesto just as you would to refrigerate. Pesto will last in the freezer for up to six months.

More Summer Posts

• Beef Steak Fingers
• How to Keep Your Fruit Fresh
• DIY Cucumber Garden Trellis