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Jump to:What is Pesto Sauce?What do I need to make this recipe?Video RecipeHow do I make this recipe?Pro tips and tricksWhat is pesto sauce used for?How do I store the sauce?Can I freeze the pesto?How do I make it vegan?What other nuts can I add to the pesto sauce?What other herbs can I useHomemade Pesto Sauce recipe
What is Pesto Sauce?
Pesto sauce is a basil, pine nut, and olive oil based raw sauce. It is perfect as a sauce for noodles, vegetables, vegetables, meats, seafood, or bread. Pesto originally came from Italy and is a favorite sauce at Italian restaurants.
What do I need to make this recipe?
You don’t need much to make great tasting basil pesto. To make the sauce, you’ll need:
fresh basil leaves freshly grated Romano or Parmesan-Reggiano cheese - you can use the canned version if needed, but fresh tastes better extra virgin olive oil - you can use regular olive oil if that is all you have on hand pine nuts - you can substitute walnuts if needed or wanted garlic cloves - make sure you mince it before adding to the food processor for the best consistency Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Video Recipe
How do I make this recipe?
This is a super easy recipe. You can make it in less than 5 minutes to add to your favorite noodles or vegetables.
Start by rinsing the fresh basil leaves under cool water. Next, place the basil and all the ingredients into a food processor. Run the food processor until the ingredients all come together and form a sauce. You can add the sauce to cooked noodles or vegetables. You could also use it to marinate vegetables.
Pro tips and tricks
Fresh Parmesan or Romano cheeses give the best flavor, but canned varieties will work too. Use minced or crushed garlic to avoid large chunks of garlic in the sauce. Don’t over cook or heat the pesto too long, it can burn the garlic or basil. Add a little lemon to prevent browning. For a less spicy version, you can decrease the garlic. Can’t find pine nuts? No problem, substitute walnuts instead.
What is pesto sauce used for?
Pesto is used to season a variety of pastas, vegetables and your choice of protein. A Dollop over our Perfect Tender Baked potatoes or scoop it onto spaghetti squash .You can also spread basil pesto on bread for a delicious appetizer or snack. It also makes a great dip for garlic knots or other bread. You can add the sauce to noodles and roasted vegetables for a healthy, filling meal.
How do I store the sauce?
Basil pesto darkens when exposed to air, so to store in the refrigerator , spoon the sauce into an airtight container and cover tightly with cling wrap making sure the plastic is touching the top of the pesto and not allowing the pesto to have contact with air. The pesto will stay greener longer that way. Place in the refrigerator for about 4 to 5 days.
Can I freeze the pesto?
If you freeze the pesto, place it in a freezer safe container or bag. You can freeze the pesto for about 6 months. When you are ready to eat it, place it in the refrigerator to thaw. Reheat the pesto in a pot over low heat or in the microwave for a few seconds or add it to freshly cooked pasta.
How do I make it vegan?
You can make pesto sauce vegan easily. To do so, use cashew meal instead of the Parmesan cheese. Cashew meal has a similar texture and flavor of parmesan cheese.
What other nuts can I add to the pesto sauce?
Pine nuts are traditionally used in pesto sauce. But pine nuts can be hard to find and expensive. If you want the great taste of pesto but don’t have pine nuts, you can easily substitute it with walnuts, pistachios, almonds, pecans or pepitas. Walnuts do provide a similar structure, feel, and taste to pine nuts.
What other herbs can I use
If you feel that basil is too strong for your taste, you can replace it with Mint, Cilantro, Parsley or Spinach. Did you make this homemade pesto recipe ? Show us by uploading a photo and tagging us @dbellyrulesdmind on Instagram.
Pro tips and tricks
Fresh Parmesan or Romano cheeses give the best flavor, but canned varieties will work too.Use minced or crushed garlic to avoid large chunks of garlic in the sauce.Don’t over cook or heat the pesto too long, it can burn the garlic or basil.Add a little lemon to prevent browning.For a less spicy version, you can decrease the garlic.Can’t find pine nuts? No problem, substitute walnuts or pistachios instead.Are you allergic to nuts ? you can use no shell pumpkin (pepita) seeds or hemp seeds
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