Vegetarian Pesto

Name: Vegetarian Pesto
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 cups fresh basil leaves, rinsed and dried; 1/3 cup finely grated parmigiano reggiano cheese; 2 tablespoons pine nuts; 1/3 cup olive oil; 1 clove of minced garlic; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

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This Vegetarian Pesto is so easy to make in just minutes! Don't buy store-bought pesto when you can make this fresh & fast homemade pesto. Easy ingredients come together in the food processor for the most delicious recipe. Serve this over pasta, pizza, eggs and so much more!

white bowl full of vegetarian pesto with a blue plate with garlic and fresh basil and lemons on side — The Best Classic Basil Pesto

I really love Pesto. Maybe it’s because I can pull fresh basil from the garden and it smells lovely or because it is so incredibly versatile and you can make SO MANY meals with it.

Check out my garden basil below. I planted two plants because I love the little guys so much! I honestly wasn’t sure the one on the left was going to make it early in the season and I knew I needed to make pesto (I mean duh?), so I planted the second. Now they are both thriving and I am one happy little mama!

Why You'll Love This Recipe:

It takes less than 10 minutes to make!
This recipe will stay good in the fridge for up to a week.
Pesto is delicious on so many recipes from pasta to pizza or serve it with eggs and toast in the morning.
You only need 5 ingredients, plus salt and pepper.

If you love pesto like me, check out these recipes:

Pesto Tortellini Salad

Pesto Chicken Sandwich

Creamy Pesto Gnocchi

Ingredients:

Fresh Basil- Fresh herb with notes of savory, sweet and pepper & one of my favorites to pair with anything Italian.

Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese- An Italian cooking staple known for its salty nutty flavor profile.

Olive Oil- The base of the pesto and combines the ingredients into the perfect texture.

Pine Nuts- To add bulk and structure to the pesto sauce

Garlic- Adds flavor

Salt and Pepper- For seasoning

All of the ingredients for basil pesto recipe including pine nuts, garlic, parmigiana reggiano cheese, basil, salt, olive oil

How to Make Pesto:

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Place the basil, garlic, pine nuts, cheese and salt and pepper in the food processor. Give it a few pulses to combine the ingredients.

While food processor is on low, slowly pour in olive oil. Turn on high for a few seconds, then pulse about 10 times to puree the pesto sauce.

Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions About The Recipe:

How long does Pesto keep in the fridge?

I like to store it in a mason jar for up to a week.

Can you freeze Pesto?

Oh heck yea, I pick all of my basil at the end of the season and make a bunch of pesto. I like to freeze it into ½ cup portions into sandwich baggies, making sure I let all the air out of the bag before sealing. You can also freeze into ice cube trays or vacuum seal. Use within 6 months. I usually run out in about 3 months though.

Is it worth making my own pesto?

It is definitely worth making. In less than 10 minutes you have fresh pesto sauce that lasts up to a week and you can use it on so many recipes.

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

Author: Tara Smithson
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: ½ cup 1x

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Description

This Vegetarian Pesto is so easy to make in just minutes! Don't buy store-bought when you can make this fresh & fast homemade pesto. Easy ingredients come together in the food processor for the most recipe. Serve this over pasta, pizza, eggs and so much more!