Homemade Basil Walnut Pesto
Made in a food processor, this is my favorite basil pesto recipe ever. With walnuts for rich flavor, plenty of garlic, and less olive oil than many recipes. Freezes beautifully. Makes about 1 cup pesto. Vegetarian and gluten free.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 211kcal
Ingredients
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 3 ounces Pecorino romano cheese grated, about 3/4 cup (see note)
- 2 cups tightly packed , stemmed fresh basil
- ½ cup walnuts (or pine nuts to be extravagant)
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- With the motor of the food processor running, mince the garlic by dropping it through the feed tube. Process until it is very fine and it no longer makes noise as it hits the side of the bowl.
- Add the cheese, basil, walnuts and salt. Process for about 10 seconds, stopping to move things around if they get hung up.
- With the machine running, pour oil through the feed tube in a thin stream, processing until everything is well blended.
Notes
- Don’t even think of using that sawdust in the green can they call parmesan!
- Add the ingredients in the order directed for efficient use of the food processor.
- Scrape the pesto into small containers immediately and freeze. To use in winter, thaw the pesto only enough so you can scrape out what you'll use.
Nutrition
Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 274mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 361IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 132mg | Iron: 1mg