Whole Foods: Pesto Sauce
Print
Pesto is and always has been a staple food in my diet. I just love it! On bread, as a dip, over pasta, on pizza, you name it! This is my grandmother’s recipe for pesto and I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Pesto Sauce
Author/Source:
Kelly @ Onceamonthmom.com
Ingredients:
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- 2 Tablespoons pine nuts
- 2 garlic cloves, mashed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Directions:
In a blender or food processor, place in the ingredients except oil and start blending. Stream in the oil until well blended. Scrap down sides as needed. Place in container for use on cooking day.
Freezing Directions:
Prepare as directed above. Place in freezer bag or freezer safe container and freeze until ready to serve. TO SERVE: Thaw and use in recipe as directed.
Servings: 1 cup sauce
This Post will be linked at:
- Tastetastic Thursday at A Little Nosh
- Full Plate Thursday at Miz Helen’s Country Cottage
- It’s a Keeper Thursday at It’s a Keeper
can i substitue another nut? HATE pine nuts… maybe toasted walnuts?
Pine nuts are pretty standard in pesto sauces, but I think a roasted walnut would be really rich and delicious! Let me know!
Will do! Love the idea of pesto, but always disappointed in the pine-y taste…. I figure almonds would be too sweet.
I use cashews all the time when I make my pesto, turns out great.
I’m already wondering how I’m going to be able to “Get Real.” I live in a very small town. My local grocer does not stock many of these items. It costs me $20 in gas to drive to the nearest larger town for shopping. Any suggestions where to order items like pine nuts, feta, provolone, brown rice, unsweetened yogurt? No joke. NONE of these items are available on the grocery shelves where I live. Any ideas??
Sandy I’m not sure where you are located but the company Azure Standard can bring you all of those items at lower cost than most of the grocery stores. Take a look at their delivery map and see if it includes you! https://media.azurestandard.com/downloads/publications/azure-schedule-of-deliveries-2012-winter.pdf
Hi Kelly,
We grow Basil in our garden and make Pesto Sauce often. Your recipe looks great, I will give it a try. Thank you so much for sharing with our 1st Anniversary Party at Full Plate Thursday. Have a great week end and come back soon!
Miz Helen
I’m excited to have found your site! A question about this recipe: Do you pack your two cups of basil pretty tight? Just made this and it turned out pretty runny (with all but a bit of the 1/2 cup oil) wondering if I shorted the basil?
Yes pretty packed!
Do you really need to mash the garlic if you’re putting it in the food processor?
I like to mash it so that way it’s not so chunky and it lets more of the flavor out.
Try making this with spinach some time (or subbing in some spinach with the basil) – a great way to get rid of excess from your CSA or garden, and it’s really good in pesto. It’s sweeter and milder than basil. My husband prefers spinach pesto on his pasta!
if you use spinach in this, do you use the same amount? Thanks. I can’t wait to try this.
Yes!
I am highly allergic to pine nuts does anyone have a good recipe for one with out the nuts?
Tiffany are you just allergic to pine nuts? I’ve tried it with almonds before and it’s been very tasty.
Yes just pine nuts. I will have to try it with almonds! Thanks
What does a garlic clove convert to if using minced?
One teaspoon
I just did the calculations for 3 people and it says 25.5 bunches of basil. Is that the correct amount???
Did you triple this recipe or are you referring to a recipe card from a menu? If it’s a recipe card, can you please tell me what month you are looking at so I can check the formulas? If you just tripled this recipe from here for 3 people it would be 6 cups basil leaves, and 6 cloves of garlic.
[...] Pesto Sauce** [...]
When you say Parmesan cheese do you mean fresh? I normally just buy the Kraft Parmesan cheese on the shelf?? will that work?
That will definitely work.