Best Basil Pesto Recipes

BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Combine basil, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and olive oil in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add garlic, pine nuts, salt, and pepper. Pulse until mixture becomes smooth and blended.
• Pour mixture onto a large sheet of plastic wrap; roll into a tube shape and seal. Store in the refrigerator until needed.

BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• If using immediately, add all the remaining oil and pulse until smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large serving bowl and mix in the cheese.
• If freezing, transfer to an air-tight container and drizzle remaining oil over the top. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and stir in cheese.

EASY WALNUT BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Pulse walnuts, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic in a food processor until walnuts are finely chopped. Add basil leaves a little at a time, pulsing until a smooth paste forms. Mix in Parmesan cheese.

SPINACH BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Blend the spinach, basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice, lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a food processor until nearly smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary. Drizzle the remaining olive oil into the mixture while processing until smooth.

FRESH BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Combine basil, oil, pine nuts, garlic, and lemon juice in a food processor or blender; puree until smooth. Stir in Pecorino Romano cheese, salt, and pepper.

EASY BASIL PESTO WITH ALMONDS

Steps:

• Combine basil, Parmesan cheese, almonds, olive oil, and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until blended. Pour in more olive oil, with the processor running, until pesto is thick and smooth.

BASIL AND PARSLEY PESTO

Steps:

• Place basil, parsley, almonds and garlic in a small food processor; pulse until chopped. Add lemon zest, juice, honey and salt; process until blended. Continue processing while gradually adding oil in a steady stream. Add cheese; pulse just until blended., Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Freeze option: Transfer pesto to ice cube trays; cover and freeze pesto until firm. Remove from trays and transfer to a resealable plastic freezer bag; return to freezer. To use, thaw cubes in refrigerator 2 hours.

PESTO GENOVESE (AUTHENTIC ITALIAN BASIL PESTO)

Steps:

• Crush garlic using a mortar and pestle. Add pine nuts; crush with the garlic. Add basil leaves gradually, making circular movements with the pestle, until a smooth paste forms.
• Mix Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and pecorino Romano cheese using a wooden spoon. Stir in olive oil until pesto is blended.

BASIL PECAN PESTO

Steps:

• Blend the basil, pecans, garlic, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt, and pepper together in a food processor until the mixture becomes a slightly chunky paste.

BASIL PESTO BREAD ROUNDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven on broiler setting. Arrange bread slices in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Place under broiler for 5 to 8 minutes, or until lightly toasted on one side. Watch carefully to ensure they don't burn. Remove from oven, and flip bread slices so that the toasted side is on the bottom.
• Set the oven temperature for 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, pesto, garlic, Parmesan and salt. Spread evenly over untoasted sides of bread slices.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes. Set the oven to broil, and place the rounds under the broiler just until they begin to bubble and turn golden. Let cool slightly before serving.

PESTO WITH BASIL AND PARSLEY

Steps:

• Using a pestle and mortar, combine the basil and the parsley and crush until a paste starts to form. Add the rest of the ingredients and continue to crush until a creamy paste has formed.
• Serve with pasta or bread.

GIADA'S BASIL PESTO RECIPE - (3.9/5)

Steps:

• Toast pine nuts on a cookie sheet in a 400°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. In a blender (I used food processor), pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, salt and pepper until finely chopped. With it still running, gradually add enough oil to form a smooth and thick consistency. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cheese. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.

BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• In a blender or food processor, combine garlic, salt and pine nuts; cover and process until finely chopped. Add basil and olive oil; puree until smooth. Add cheese and process just until combined. Serve with pasta or grilled meats of vegetables.

BASIL-WALNUT PESTO

Steps:

• Place basil, olive oil, walnuts, garlic and salt (if using) in food processor.
• Blend until thoroughly combined.
• Add Parmesan and butter (if using) and blend 5-10 seconds more.
• Just before serving, add 2 Tbsp of hot pasta water from cooked pasta.
• Serve over pasta with bread and salad.

SALMON PENNE WITH BASIL PESTO CREAM SAUCE, ARTICHOKES, AND ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the salmon into 1 inch cubes and place in a buttered baking dish. Add the lemon juice to the melted butter and drizzle over the salmon. Season the salmon with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork. Do not let the salmon overcook. Remove immediately from the oven and keep warm.
• While the salmon is cooking, add the pasta to a large pot of salted boiling water. Cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cut the asparagus into 1 inch pieces. Add the asparagus to the boiling water during the last three to five minutes of cooking. Drain and put in a large serving bowl.
• While the salmon and pasta are cooking, combine the butter, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, and half-and-half in a saucepan. Season with garlic salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat. Add the pesto at this point. Go light with the pesto to ensure the sauce is lightly flavored.
• Mix the artichoke hearts with the asparagus and penne pasta and pour the sauce over the pasta mixture. Mix lightly to coat everything. Add the salmon cubes to the top of the pasta. If desired, serve with extra parmesan cheese and freshly cracked black pepper.

JUMBO SHRIMP WITH BASIL AND MINT PESTO

Steps:

• Blend the mint, basil, pine nuts, and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add 1/4 cup of olive oil, processing until well blended. Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl. Stir in the Parmesan. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Toss the shrimp with the extra-virgin olive oil in a large bowl to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss again.
• Heat a heavy large skillet over high heat. Working in 2 batches, add the shrimp and saute until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Toss the shrimp with enough pesto to coat.
• Transfer the shrimp to a platter and serve.

FRESH BASIL PESTO - FREEZER DIRECTIONS

Steps:

• Put the basil, garlic, pine nuts, and salt in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Drizzle olive oil. Taste and add more salt if needed.
• If freezing: line ice cube trays with plastic wrap. Scoop pesto into trays using 1-2 tablespoons of pesto per "cube." Freeze. Put in ziplock after solid. To use: Thaw and add cheese.
• If using fresh: Add the cheese and process a few seconds until just incorporated.
• Enough pesto for a pound of pasta and recommended it tossed with linguine, capellini or meat or cheese tortellini.

ROAST LEG OF LAMB WITH BASIL & MINT PESTO

Steps:

• First, make the pesto. Put all the ingredients (except the olive oil and lemon juice) and a pinch of salt into the small bowl of a food processor. Pulse until very finely chopped. While the processor is on, drizzle the olive oil in to make a paste. Tip the pesto into a small bowl and stir in the lemon juice.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the scored lamb leg in a large roasting tin and use half the pesto to generously coat the skin and flesh, pressing it between all the cracks for extra juiciness. Put the rest of the pesto in the fridge, covered with cling film, and remove just before serving.
• Roast the lamb for 1 hr 45 mins. Check during cooking that it's not drying out - if the base of the roasting tin starts to look dry, spread a little more pesto over the top of the lamb.
• Remove the lamb from the tin, cover with foil and leave to rest for 30-40 mins before serving on lemon slices and fresh garden herbs, if you like. Carve at the table and serve with the remaining pesto to drizzle over.

BASIL PESTO STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATO CREAM

Steps:

• For Pesto, wash basil and remove stems. In food processor mix basil, garlic, pine nuts, pepper and Parmesan. Blend until smooth and slowly add oil.
• Pound chicken breasts to 1/4 inch thickness. Place one slice prosciutto and 1 T. pesto on chicken breast. Tuck in ends and roll jelly style. Secure with toothpicks.
• Drizzle with 2 T. lemon juice, chopped garlic and olive oil. You may either grill these or bake at 350 for 30 minute.
• While breasts are cooking make basil cream.
• Sauté shallots in butter. Add wine and bring to a boil.
• Cook until liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup Add cream and return to boil. Cook 8- 10 minute or until sauce is reduced to 1 cup.
• Whisk continually, add tomatoes and cook 2 minute Whisk in basil and lemon.
• Cook until heated thoroughly. To thicken sauce add cornstarch mixture slowly.
• Remove toothpick and cut the chicken breasts in slices to show off the center. Drizzle the chicken with sauce.
• **Serve this with your choice of pasta and dbl the sauce, or when it's just Dereck and I, I only make 2 chicken breasts and there is enough sauce for our pasta.

SPINACH-BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Place garlic in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Add spinach, basil and walnuts. Pulse until chopped. Add cheese, salt and pepper. Continue processing while gradually adding oil in a steady stream. Freeze option: Freeze pesto in freezer containers. To use, thaw in refrigerator.