Basil Pesto Recipe (Pesto Pasta Recipe Included)
Traditional basil pesto recipe, made with just 8 ingredients is an amazing condiment to have on hand to brighten up pasta, salads and sandwiches. Learn how to make basil pesto and its uses with step by step pictures and video.
Equipment
Blender
Cooking pot
Ingredients
For Making Pesto
- 2 cups Fresh Basil Leaves
- 5 cloves Garlic
- 4 tablespoon Pine nuts
- ⅓ cup Parmesan Cheese chopped roughly
- ½ teaspoon Lemon Zest
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper Powder
- 3 tablespoon Lemon Juice or to taste
- ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
For Pesto Pasta Recipe
- 200 grams Spaghetti
- Water for cooking pasta
- 2 teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup Pesto
Instructions
- Take pine nuts in a dry pan. Toast on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until fragrant and slightly toasted. Remove it from heat and let it cool.
- In a food processor, take basil, pine nuts, garlic, parmesan cheese, lemon zest. Blend till coarsely crushed. Now add in salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil. Blend till smooth. Now pesto is done.
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water till it is cooked. Strain pasta and take it in a saute pan. Reserve the pasta cooking liquid. Now add in pesto into the pasta and some of the pasta cooking liquid. Toss for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat till the pasta is emulsified. Serve hot.
Video
Notes
- Use fresh basil leaves for bright and fresh flavour. Wash the basil leaves really well and pat them dry before using.
- You can either grate Parmesan, or chop them roughly and use.
- You can add more or less garlic as per your taste.
- Taste and adjust lemon juice as per your taste.
- Toasting pine nuts enhances flavour so never skip it.
- You can use almonds, cashews or walnuts instead of pine nuts.
- Be generous with the olive oil.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Basil Pesto Recipe (Pesto Pasta Recipe Included)
Serving Size
1 servings
Amount per Serving
Calories
656
% Daily Value*
Fat
48
g
74
%
Saturated Fat
8
g
50
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
7
g
Monounsaturated Fat
22
g
Cholesterol
8
mg
3
%
Sodium
2172
mg
94
%
Potassium
245
mg
7
%
Carbohydrates
44
g
15
%
Fiber
3
g
13
%
Sugar
3
g
3
%
Protein
13
g
26
%
Vitamin A
1328
IU
27
%
Vitamin C
8
mg
10
%
Calcium
192
mg
19
%
Iron
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.