Love this easy Classic Pesto Sauce Recipe!

If you have fresh basil growing like mad in your garden at home, make pesto sauce! It’s a beautiful sauce that is wonderful to add to hot pasta or to season other recipes. You’ll need pine nuts too. Those can tend to be expensive, so I buy them at Costco. I store them in the freezer to prevent them from going rancid. Pine nuts last forever in the freezer. Make this classic pesto sauce recipe in the summer when basil is abundant!

Ingredients needed:

• pine nuts
• fresh basil leaves
• parmesan cheese
• garlic
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• extra virgin olive oil

How to toast pine nuts:

If you are toasting them in the oven, preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the pine nuts on a rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven until golden and fragrant, stirring once, 5  to 8 minutes (watch closely so they don’t burn). Transfer the pine nuts from the baking sheet to a paper towel to prevent further browning and let them cool completely.

If you are toasting them in a skillet, put them in a small pan over medium heat. Watch them closely, and use a wooden spoon to move them around until they are lightly toasted.  Be careful- they’ll burn if you don’t tend to them! Transfer them to a paper towel to cool.

How to make a Classic Pesto Sauce recipe:

The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.

In a food processor, combine the toasted pine nuts, basil, cheese, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Process until finely chopped. With the machine running, pour the oil in a steady stream through the feed tube, and continue processing until smooth.

How to store pesto sauce:

Store fresh pesto sauce in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to one week. 

How to freeze pesto sauce:

To extend the life of your fresh pesto sauce, freeze it! Add pesto sauce to an ice cube tray and freeze it in cubes. Take out a cube at a time to enjoy when you need some pesto sauce. It will thaw quickly!

I think the best use for pesto sauce is to add it to freshly cooked pasta. It’s such a simple pasta dish. Pesto sauce adds so much flavor. Throw in a few tomatoes and some Parmesan cheese on top. It’s a lovely dinner. Enjoy!

The Best Sauce Recipes:

• Mom’s Spaghetti Sauce
• Enchilada Sauce
• Nacho Cheese Sauce
• Easy Cocktail Sauce
• Cola Barbecue Sauce

Print

Classic Pesto Sauce Recipe

The perfect way to use your summer basil crop.

Course Sauces

Cuisine Italian

Keyword basil, pesto, pine nuts

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Total Time 23 minutes

Servings 8 servings (1 cup)

Calories 191kcal

Author RecipeGirl.com

Ingredients

• ½ cup pine nuts
• 4 cups (2 ounces) lightly packed fresh basil leaves
• ½ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 medium garlic clove
• kosher salt, to taste
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Spread the pine nuts on a rimmed baking sheet; toast in the oven until golden and fragrant, stirring once, 5 to 8 minutes (watch closely, so they don't burn!) Transfer the toasted pine nuts from the baking sheet to a paper towel to prevent further browning and let them cool completely.
• In a food processor, combine the pine nuts, basil, cheese, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Process until finely chopped. With the machine running, pour the oil in a steady stream through the feed tube, and continue processing until smooth. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Notes

• Freeze pesto sauce in cubes to enjoy year round!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (2 tablespoons) | Calories: 191kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 173mg | Potassium: 410mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 6297IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 281mg | Iron: 4mg

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