How to Make Delicious Pesto with Fresh Basil 6 Ingredient Recipe

Homemade Pesto began by cutting all my homegrown basil. Only later did I learn that I should have been trimming just the tops to keep the basil from flowering and preserve its flavor. Mine had already bloomed, but now I’m religiously snipping the tops to keep the plants healthy and productive.

I found a simple pesto recipe on Allrecipes.com and followed it, adding my own twist by toasting the pine nuts. Some people say they should be used raw, but the toasted flavor was delicious—I’ll try the raw version next time to compare.

Once the pesto was blended, I poured it into an ice tray so it would freeze quickly and in small portions. It’s the perfect way to use only what I need, exactly when I need it. I hope this method works as well for you as it did for me.

Allrecipes reference link: Pesto

Pesto Recipe Ingredients

3 cups packed fresh basil leaves
4 cloves garlic
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup pine nuts
½ cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Add all ingredients except for the oil to the food processor. Mix. Then trickle in the oil a little at a time. That is it. Refer to the reference link I list above for recipe reviews and photos.