What's Cooking Wednesday: Our favorite pesto recipe
Pesto, an herbaceous green sauce, might seem fancy or difficult to make, but with a few quick tips, you can be on your way to adding some color and flavor to your summer meals!
What is pesto?
Traditionally, pesto is composed of fresh basil, pine nuts, olive oil, salt, garlic and parmesan cheese. The flavor is bright, unctuous, and nutty. Enjoy on pasta, over proteins, on pizza, and more!
The most original preparation involves a mortar and pestle, patiently grinding the ingredients, bruising the basil leaves to release their flavor, and working the paste to a desired consistency. A more modern take uses a food processor to speed up the process and make life easier.
The basic recipe:
1 cup basil leaves (washed)
2 cloves garlic (add more if desired)
¼ cup parmesan
3 tsp lemon juice
3 tbsp toasted nuts
¼ cup olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
Spread your nuts on a baking sheet and pop them in the oven at 400F for 5 minutes. This toasting will release the oil and flavor in the nuts.
Add all ingredients to a food processor and pulse to combine. Scrape the sides and pulse again. Do not blend into a perfectly smooth consistency. It should be rustic.
Refrigerate in a jar or container. Use within a week.
The pesto can be frozen. Leave room at the top of your jar and freeze for a year.
How to make it your own:
Basil: There is no rule that you must use basil for the pesto. You can use kale, arugula, spinach, cilantro, parsley, or any combination of leafy greens. I love adding in arugula, but you can customize to fit what you have in your fridge and what you like.
Garlic: Add more or less, depending on your taste.
Parmesan: You can swap in another similar cheese, like pecorino if desired.
Lemon juice: you’re just adding a little acid here, so you can also use vinegar or lime juice. You can also omit this if you don’t want a bite to the pesto.
Nuts: Traditionally, you would use pine nuts, but those are extremely expensive. I use walnuts, because I’m not made out of money, but pecans, almonds, and pepitas (pumpkin seeds) will all work as well.
Olive oil: This is one you really don’t want to swap out, unless you can’t avoid it. A neutral oil like canola will work in a pinch.
What to do with your pesto:
Use it as a pizza sauce
Drizzle over sliced tomato
Add to sandwiches
Serve on pasta with veggies or meat of your choosing
Make a pesto pasta salad
Drizzle over a grain bowl with quinoa or farro
Coat roasted veggies
Use on grilled meats
Dip bread in it
Add it to a charcuterie board
Add into a lasagna
Dress up avocado toast
Thin it out with more oil and use it as a salad dressing
The only limit is your imagination! Tell us your favorite swaps and how you like to use your pesto!
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