Best Easy Pesto Recipes

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.

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.

EASY PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Boil spaghetti in a large pan according to pack instructions. Drain well, then return to the pan with the pesto and half the Parmesan. Toss well, then tip into a serving bowl and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.

EASY KALE PESTO

Steps:

• Pour olive oil into the bowl of a food processor and add garlic; pulse until garlic is chopped, about 10 seconds. Add kale to olive oil mixture, working in batches if needed; pulse until evenly blended, about 20 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl.
• Stir pine nuts and Parmesan cheese into kale mixture and pulse until pesto is smooth; season with salt.

EASY PESTO PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°. Place dough on a lightly floured surface; let rest for 10 minutes. Knead in 1/4 cup cheese, basil and oregano. Roll into a 12-in. circle; place on a greased 14-in. pizza pan. Prick with a fork. Bake for 10 minutes., Spread pesto sauce over the crust. Sprinkle with mushrooms, mozzarella cheese and remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake until golden brown, 8-10 minutes longer.

EASY PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread 1/2 cup pine nuts or walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven until golden and fragrant, tossing occasionally, 5 to 8 minutes. Let cool completely.
• In a food processor, combine toasted nuts, 4 cups loosely packed fresh basil or parsley leaves, 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, and 1 garlic clove; season with salt and pepper. Process until finely chopped. With machine running, pour 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil in a steady stream through the feed tube; process until smooth.

EASY PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Place almonds on a cookie sheet, and bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly toasted.
• In a food processor, combine toasted almonds, garlic, basil, olive oil, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Process until a coarse paste is formed.

EASY PESTO LASAGNE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Place the pesto, half the mascarpone and 250ml water (or vegetable stock if you have some) in a pan. Heat and mix until smooth and bubbling. Add the spinach and peas and cook for a few more mins until the spinach has wilted and the peas thawed. Add the herbs and season.
• Place a third of the pesto mixture into a baking dish roughly 18 x 25cm. Top with 4 lasagne sheets, then repeat with 2 more layers of sauce and lasagne sheets, finishing with a layer of pasta. Mix enough milk into the remaining mascarpone to make a white sauce consistency, season, then pour over the top. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and pine nuts. Bake for 35-40 mins until golden brown on top and bubbling around the edges. Scatter over the reserved basil leaves and serve with a green salad, if you like.

EASY CHICKEN PESTO STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Cut peppers lengthwise in half; remove stems and seeds. Place peppers on a baking sheet, skin side up. Broil 4 in. from heat until skins blister, about 5 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°., Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine chicken, rice and pesto. When cool enough to handle, fill peppers with chicken mixture; return to baking sheet. Bake until heated through, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese; bake until cheese is melted, 3-5 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with basil.

EASY PESTO PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• In a small bowl, combine Ricotta and Parmesan.
• Spread pesto over the ready-to-cook pizza crust. Spread the ricotta and Parmesan over the pesto, and layer the tomatoes over the cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan to taste.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

EASY TORTELLINI PESTO SALAD

Steps:

• Toss chopped tomatoes with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Cooked tortellini according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
• In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Gently toss until well combined.
• Refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight.
• Serve at room temperature.

EASY CREAMY PESTO

Steps:

• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in heavy cream. Add flour and mix well to remove clumps. Season with salt and pepper.
• Stir sour cream and pesto into the saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring, until flavors combine, 2 to 3 minutes more.

EASY PESTO HUMMUS RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Pour the rinsed chickpeas onto half the area of a kitchen towel. Fold the other half of the towel on top of the beans, and rub them so that the skins start to come off.
• Place all of the peeled beans in the bowl of a food processor, along with the salt, cumin, garlic, and pesto. Turn the processor on to break up the mixture.
• With the food processor running, pour in the lemon juice and water, and let the processor run until the mixture is smooth.
• Serve with your choice of dipping chips or veggies.
• Enjoy!

EASY PESTO ALFREDO FETTUCCINI

Steps:

• While the fettuccini is cooking, put the alfredo sauce and pesto in a saucepan.
• Place pan over medium high heat and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Combine the sauce with the hot pasta and serve with grated parmesan, if desired.

EASY PESTO HALIBUT

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the oil, sauce mix and lemon juice.
• Brush over both sides of fillets.
• Place in a greased 13" x 9" baking dish.
• Bake, uncovered, at 450 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

EASY PESTO LASAGNA ROLL-UPS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet with olive oil.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to the package directions for al dente. Drain and arrange in a layer on the prepared baking sheet.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese with 1/2 cup of the pesto. Divide the ricotta mixture evenly among the noodles, spreading it the length of each noodle. Divide 1 cup of the marinara sauce evenly among the 8 noodles, spreading it on top of the ricotta mixture.
• Add 1 1/2 cups of the remaining marinara sauce to the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish.
• Roll up the lasagna noodles, then arrange them seam-side down in the baking dish. Top them with the remaining 1 cup marinara sauce and 1/4 cup pesto. Cover the baking dish securely with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
• Remove the foil, top the roll-ups with the mozzarella cheese and continue baking, uncovered, until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven, top the lasagna roll-ups with the grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

EASY RAMP PESTO

Steps:

• Combine ramp leaves, pine nuts, and garlic in a food processor. Process until finely chopped. With the food processor running, add olive oil and process everything until smooth. Transfer mixture to a bowl and mix in grated Parmesan cheese. Season with salt to taste.

EASY PESTO SHIRATAKI NOODLES

Steps:

• Rinse and drain tofu noodles very well.
• Microwave on high for 1 minute and rinse and drain again.
• You may want to pat dry with a paper towel.
• Meanwhile, heat skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add tofu noodles and saute 2 or 3 minutes until noodles appear dried.
• Add butter and pesto sauce and heat 2 or 3 more minutes until butter and pesto cover the noodles.
• Enjoy!

EASY FUSILLI WITH TOMATO PESTO SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic for 2 minutes, then add tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and return to pot.
• Season tomato sauce with salt and pepper; stir in pesto. Pour sauce over hot cooked pasta and mix well. Sprinkle with cheese, garnish with basil leaves and serve immediately.

CHEESE & PESTO EASY BAKE APPETIZER

Steps:

• PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees F. Unroll dough on lightly greased baking sheet; press seams together to form 12 x 4-inch rectangle.
• CUT brick of cream cheese in half horizontally; place one half on top of one half of the dough. Top with 1 Tbsp. pesto and red peppers. Place other half of cream cheese brick on top. Top with remaining pesto. Brush edges with egg. Bring dough over cream cheese to completely enclose cream cheese; press edges together to seal. Brush with egg.
• BAKE 15 to 18 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 10 minutes. Serve with Ritz crackers and fresh vegetables. Makes 12 servings.
• To save time, prepare this recipe several hours ahead and refrigerate until ready to bake.