I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say that basil pesto is one of the most brilliant dishes out there for me. You can make so many different foods with it, and it tastes so good that it’s hard to ever get tired of it.
Years ago, I was offered basil pesto from a fancy Italian artisan shop, and it’s hard to describe how good it tasted. All the flavors were perfectly balanced, and although that pesto was very expensive, I must say it was worth every cent.
However, since I love pesto so much, I decided I had to take the process of making it into my own hands. My first attempt wasn’t a complete disaster, but the flavors weren’t very well balanced — I had added too much cheese. Soon enough, though, I achieved a perfect pesto for me.
Though Italians might faint at what I’m about to say, I have to admit that making basil pesto doesn’t require following the recipe to the letter. There’s definitely room for improvisation, and I generally don’t even weigh the ingredients.
What Is Basil Pesto?
Basil pesto has been known since the 16th century, and while there are many different flavors of pesto today, pesto di basilico remains the most original and has spread widely across the world.
Basil pesto is the perfect combination of basic ingredients like basil, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, and oil. You can play with the flavors by adding a little more or less of something, but all these ingredients combined are wonderful.
Basil pesto is ideal for spreading on toasted bread or, of course, for making basil pasta.
What Oil Should You Use in Pesto?
I believe the most crucial aspect of making good pesto is using quality ingredients. Working with cheap and overly processed ingredients definitely won’t lead to a good result.
Since pesto largely consists of oil, I recommend steering clear of refined seed oils like canola or sunflower oil. These oils aren’t suitable for good cooking.
The best choice for pesto is extra virgin olive oil; it complements the flavor beautifully and is good for your health.
Crushing Basil for Pesto
The easiest way to crush basil is with a food processor. But as I mentioned, pesto is centuries old, and food processors were probably not very popular in the 16th century… So what did people use?
Of course, the good old mortar and pestle! Crushing a large amount of basil this way would require a big mortar, and the process would take considerably longer. But why not give it a try?
Storing Basil Pesto
I recommend storing basil pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator. A glass jar with a sealed lid is perfect for this. Pesto will last a very long time in the fridge.
Keep in mind that if you use unrefined olive oil in your pesto, it will solidify in the refrigerator, becoming solid like butter. This is completely normal; once it returns to room temperature, the oil will turn liquid again.
You can also freeze pesto, but since it lasts so long anyway, freezing is usually unnecessary.
What to Do With Basil Pesto?
Everyone who grows basil at home knows that there’s a basil flood in the summer. In that case, basil pesto is one of the best things to make with your basil. But then… what next? You can’t just keep eating pesto on bread forever.
Luckily, there’s a rich and wide variety of dishes you can make with pesto — for example, fried potatoes with pesto, pizza with pesto, and various baked vegetables with pesto. Naturally, pasta dishes with basil pesto, and you can even make soups using basil pesto.
Check out more exciting pesto recipes and ideas for dishes you can make and the foods it pairs well with!
Ingredients
Fresh basil leaves – Genovese basil works best for this recipe, but that doesn’t mean you have to scour the stores for it. Any kind of basil will do, just keep in mind that different types of basil have different flavors.
Olive oil – The healthiest choice is extra virgin olive oil, but theoretically, processed oils can work too. Avocado oil might add a strong bitter taste, so I wouldn’t really recommend it.
Parmesan cheese – You might have heard that “the only real Parmesan cheese is Parmigiano Reggiano” — and I don’t doubt that. But you can also use any “Parmesan-like” hard cheese that are available to you.
Fresh garlic cloves – You can omit the garlic if you prefer.
Pine nuts – Pine nuts are a very important ingredient in traditional pesto. If they aren’t easily accessible where you live and are considered exotic, you can substitute them with cashews or sunflower seeds.
Salt – You don’t need big amount of salt, but enough to make the pesto flavorful.
Making Basil Pesto
- If you’re using store-bought basil, wash it thoroughly with clean water. I see no reason to wash home-grown basil.
- Put the basil in the food processor.
- Cut the Parmesan cheese into smaller pieces and add it to the food processor.
- Peel the garlic and add it as well — no need to chop it smaller.
- Add the pine nuts or other seeds/nuts.
- Finally, add the oil and a pinch of salt.
- Start the food processor and blend until you have a uniform mixture.
- Taste the finished product. If you feel like adjusting the flavor balance, be bold and add a little more of whatever it needs.
Ideas and Tips
- Be cautious with the Parmesan cheese. I’m a complete cheese fanatic and always want to add more cheese. Often, this works well, but don’t overdo it when making pesto. If you do happen to add too much cheese, make basil pasta — it will probably turn out great there.
- If you have a weaker food processor, you might try blending the basil with the oil first before adding the rest of the ingredients.
- Often, lemon juice is added to basil pesto. However, lemon juice isn’t part of the traditional recipe, and personally, I don’t like the taste of it in pesto.
Pesto di Basilico - Easy Italian Basil Pesto Recipe
Basil pesto is one of the most brilliant dishes out there for me. You can make so many different foods with it, and it tastes so good that it's hard to ever get tired of it.
Ingredients
- 60g of fresh basil
- 2 cloves of garlic - optional
- 50g of Extra Virgin olive oil
- 15g of Parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp (15g) of pine nuts
- 1 tsp of salt
Instructions
- If you're using store-bought basil, wash it thoroughly with clean water. I see no reason to wash home-grown basil.
- Put the basil in the food processor.
- Cut the Parmesan cheese into smaller pieces and add it to the food processor.
- Peel the garlic and add it as well — no need to chop it smaller.
- Add the pine nuts or other seeds/nuts.
- Finally, add the oil and a pinch of salt.
- Start the food processor and blend until you have a uniform mixture.
- Taste the finished product. If you feel like adjusting the flavor balance, be bold and add a little more of whatever it needs.
