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Basil Pesto (anyway you like it!)

Homemade basil pesto is so easy to make! Recipe yields 1 cup pesto, which is enough to toss with about 12 ounces of pasta.

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup raw pine nuts almonds, walnuts, pecans or pepitas (pumpkin seeds)*
  • 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves (about 3 ounces or 2 large bunches)
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese or 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast**
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

To Make the Pesto:

  • (Optional) Toast the nuts or seeds for extra flavor: Place the nuts/seeds in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently (don’t let them burn!), until nice and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour them into a bowl to cool for a few minutes.
  • Combine the basil, cooled nuts/seeds, Parmesan, lemon juice, garlic and salt in a food processor or blender. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Continue processing until the mixture is well blended but still has some texture, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary.
  • Taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary. Add a pinch of salt if to reduce bitterness or add more zing. Add more Parmesan for a creamier/cheesier pesto. Thin it out with more olive oil or if serving with pasta, use reserved pasta cooking water.

How to Toss Pesto with Pasta:

  • Before you drain your pasta, place 1-2 cups of pasta cooking water into a measuring cup. The starches in the water will create a creamy emulsion and help attach the sauce to the pasta. Place pasta back in pot and take off the heat. Toss the pasta, pesto and small splashes of pasta cooking water together until you’re satisfied with the consistency (I used roughly 1/3 cup reserved pasta cooking water for 1/2 pound of spaghetti).

Notes

Leftover pesto can be stored in frig for up to 1 week or freeze it in an ice cube try. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag and thaw only as much as you need later.
*Make it nut free: Use pine nuts, pepitas (pumpkin seeds) or sunflower seeds. (Pine nuts are technically seeds, but if you’re allergic to nuts, there’s a chance you’ll be allergic to pine nuts, too.)
**Make it dairy free/vegan: Replace the Parmesan with 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast.
Parmesan note: Most Parmesans are not technically vegetarian (they contain animal rennet), but Whole Foods 365 and BelGioioso brands offer vegetarian Parmesan cheese.
From Cookie and Kate