HOMEMADE PESTO😍

Every time I make homemade pesto I always kick myself for not making it more often. It comes together SO easily and can elevate whatever is on your meal plan for the week. And no judgement if you start eating it straight with a spoon ;) Find the best tips and tricks for living your best pesto life below!

Tips:

• A few years ago, I watched a video of an Italian grandma making pesto in a mortar and pestle. Although not a single ounce of me has the patience to make it using that method, I did take tips from her like grinding the pine nuts first to create more of a paste, which releases more of it’s nutty flavor and lends a better texture to your pesto.

• If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a blender, nutri bullet, or even a mortar and pestle - all power to you with that one. You can find the food processor I love here and the Nutri Bullet I couldn’t live without here.

Serves 2-3 (probably should be more, but you will inhale this quick lol)

Ingredients:

For the Homemade Pesto:

• 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves

• 1/3 cup pine nuts (toasted is best, but not needed)

• 1 clove garlic

• Juice from 1 lemon

• ⅓ - ½ cup olive oil

• ½ cup freshly grated parmesan (Grana Padano is the best, omit for Whole30)*

• Pinch of salt and pepper to taste

Serving Suggestions:

• Roasted spaghetti squash with roasted veggies

• On top of chicken

• Tossed with pasta, cherry tomatoes, and mozzarella for a fresh pasta salad

• Loosen with a little lemon juice/olive oil and use as a salad dressing

*Tip: if you’re extra lazy like me, you can blend the parmesan instead of grating it to save some labor time.

Directions:

For the Homemade Pesto:

• Add lemon juice, garlic, and a pinch of salt to your blender. Blend for 30 seconds. This helps get the bitter raw garlic taste out.

• Add the pine nuts and the Parmesan and blend until a chunky paste is formed, about 30 seconds to a minute.

• Add in the basil and blend, slowly streaming in a little of the olive oil at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Look for a homogeneous mixture that still has a bit of texture to it. Season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

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