Homemade Pesto Sauce

An easy homemade pesto sauce recipe. Wonderful on pasta, and just as wonderful as a topping for grilled meats, grilled or baked fish, and vegetables.

Pesto sauce is so delicious and fresh tasting. It’s one of my favorite condiments. Whenever I see a bunch of fragrant, fresh basil leaves at the store, I just have to buy them and make this homemade pesto sauce recipe!

Why bother with homemade when you can buy it at the store?

I decided to make this homemade pesto sauce recipe after I looked for a jarred one in the supermarket, and discovered that inexplicably, all of them are made with soybean oil!

I’m not sure why, as the classic pesto is made with olive oil, which is tastier and healthier. Actually, of course I know why – to cut on costs! Luckily, it’s very easy to make it at home.  The food processor does all the work for you.

What is pesto sauce used for?

The obvious answer is pasta and pasta salad. That’s how I started making this recipe. My friends S. and J. taught me how to make an amazing pasta salad with homemade pesto sauce.

But this sauce is also great for low carbers. It’s wonderful with chicken for example. These pesto chicken kabobs are so juicy and flavorful, and I also like to make simple baked pesto chicken.

This sauce is also great with seafood – check out this easy recipe for pesto shrimp. And it’s wonderful with vegetables! One of my favorite party appetizers is these very flavorful (and easy to make) pesto stuffed mushrooms.

Is pesto sauce healthy?

I believe it is, as long as you don’t make it with highly processed vegetable oils. Basil is very healthy, as are the other whole-food ingredients in this recipe. But do use olive oil. It’s not just healthier, it also tastes better than vegetable oils.

How long can you keep homemade pesto sauce?

You can keep it in the fridge for about 5 days and it can also be frozen for 3 months. You can freeze it in ice cube trays or in plastic containers.

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4.95 from 20 votes

Pesto Sauce

An easy recipe for pesto sauce. Wonderful on pasta, and just as wonderful as a topping for grilled meats, grilled or baked fish, and vegetables.

Prep Time10 mins

Total Time10 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: pesto

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 180kcal

Author: Vered DeLeeuw

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, washed and dried (40 grams)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

INSTRUCTIONS

• Place the basil, garlic and pine nuts in food processor. Process a few seconds, until coarsely chopped.
• Add the salt, pepper and oil and process until smooth and fully combined, about 30 seconds, stopping to scrape the sides with a spatula if necessary.
• Transfer to a bowl and mix in the cheese.

NUTRITION INFO Nutrition info is approximate. It is calculated using the SparkPeople.com recipe calculator, and the carb count excludes sugar alcohols. Please read the disclaimers in our Terms of Use carefully before using any of our recipes.

Nutrition Facts

Pesto Sauce

Amount Per Serving (2 tablespoons)

Calories 180 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 18g 28%

Sodium 257mg 11%

Total Carbohydrates 1.5g 1%

Dietary Fiber 0.6g 2%

Sugars 0.2g

Protein 3.5g 7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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