THIS Housemade Pesto Rocks

This from-scratch pesto recipe has been the best pesto I’ve eaten. I’ve tried countless pesto dishes- at restaurants and store-bought ones. Nothing compares to the recipe below.

Those who tried this recipe have agreed with me. It’s delicious. It’s so rich and full of flavor. I encourage you to try this and let me know your thoughts in the comments.

Pesto Recipe

• 2 cups fresh organic basil leaves (Thai basil leaves are ok)
• 1/2 cup of organic extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons organic pine nuts (or another nut (see below for substitutions))
• 2 organic garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed 
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Romano pecorino cheese
• 3 tablespoons organic unsalted butter, softened and at room temperature

Kitchen Equipment

• Measuring bowls, cups, and spoons
• Mixing bowls/cups/spoons for mise en place ingredients
• Cutting board
• Chef knife
• Colander
• Paper towels
• Food processor
• Microplane
• Rubber spatula
• Airtight container
• Small pot

Cooking Instructions

1. Sanitize kitchen (including the sink, faucets, countertops, stovetop/oven, cupboard handles, smart devices, and computer).
2. Remove basil leaves from branches.
3. Rinse and dry basil leaves.
4. Crush garlic cloves with a knife.
5. Grate cheeses.
6. Mise en place ingredients.
7. Pulse the basil, olive oil, nuts, garlic cloves, and salt in the food processor.
8. Occasionally, scrape the unmixed ingredients toward the bottom of the food processor container with a rubber spatula.
9. Blend until smooth.
10. Pour the pesto mixture into a bowl and add the cheese.
11. Mix by hand.
12. Add the softened butter after the cheese has been incorporated into the pesto sauce.
13. Serve with hot pasta or as a spread on toast, pizza, etc.

Seven Nuts to Add to Pesto Sauce

Pine nuts are the most common ingredient to add to pesto sauces. However, they’re costly. Fear not! There are seven other nuts to pair well with pesto sauce.

1. Almonds
2. Cashews
3. Hazelnuts
4. Macadamia Nuts
5. Peanuts
6. Pistachios
7. Walnuts

I’ve made this pesto sauce with almonds, cashews, and macadamia nuts. While I like pine nuts the best, the pesto tasted great with those other nuts.

Happy cooking, 

FS x