Basil pesto

Basil pesto is a sauce made from basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and olive oil. It is a traditional component of Italian and Ligurian cuisine.

The word pesto is derived from the Italian word for "crushed", in reference to the traditional method of preparation, which involves crushing the ingredients together with a mortar and pestle.

Basil pesto recipes have their origins in the Genoa and Liguria regions of Italy. The first written recipe for pesto alla genovese was published in 1839 by Giovanni Battista Ratto in his book La Cuciniera Genovese.

Advice

Making delicious basil pesto is a great way to add flavor to your meals. Start by gathering the necessary ingredients: fresh basil, olive oil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, and salt and pepper. To make the pesto, combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor or blender and pulse until the ingredients are finely chopped. Then, slowly add the olive oil until the ingredients are fully incorporated. Finally, add the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper. The pesto should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and can be used to top anything from pasta to pizza. Enjoy!

Jump to: Ingredient Breakdown Insights

Recipes

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Basil Pesto

  • salt
  • pecorino cheese
  • pine nut
  • basil
  • garlic
  • olive oil
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Basil Pesto

  • salt
  • trofie
  • garlic
  • pecorino romano cheese
  • olive oil
  • pine nut
  • basil
  • parmesan cheese
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Basil Pesto

  • olive oil
  • pine nut
  • basil
  • garlic
  • hard cheese
  • salt
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Basil Pesto

  • garlic
  • pine nut
  • olive oil
  • parmesan cheese
  • salt
  • basil
  • lemon juice
  • black pepper
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Basil Pesto

  • basil
  • parmesan cheese
  • pine nut
  • lemon juice
  • olive oil
  • garlic
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Basil Pesto

  • parmesan cheese
  • salt
  • pine nut
  • olive oil
  • basil
  • garlic
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Basil Pesto

  • black pepper
  • salt
  • olive oil
  • garlic
  • basil
  • parmesan cheese
  • pine nut
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"Blanched" Basil Pesto

  • parmesan cheese
  • italian parsley
  • pine nut
  • garlic
  • olive oil
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • powdered ascorbic acid
  • basil
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Basil Pesto

  • black pepper
  • salt
  • olive oil
  • garlic
  • basil
  • parmesan cheese
  • pine nut
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Basil Pesto Recipe

  • salt
  • olive oil
  • parmesan cheese
  • pecorino romano cheese
  • basil
  • pine nut
  • garlic

Ingredient Breakdown

 
basil
olive oil
pine nut
salt
garlic
parmesan cheese
black pepper
pecorino romano cheese
lemon juice
pecorino cheese
trofie
hard cheese
rennet parmesan cheese
walnut
spinach
garlic scape
italian parsley
powdered ascorbic acid

Insights

Staple Ingredients

  • basil 93%
  • olive oil 93%

Common Ingredients

  • pine nut 87%

Usual Ingredients

  • garlic 80%
  • salt 80%

Rarey Ingredients

  • parmesan cheese 67%