Homemade Pesto Sauce

4.67 from 6 votes

Say goodbye to the store-bought pesto sauce because after trying this healthy homemade Basil Pesto sauce, there is no turning back. It’s so flavorful and delicious. Plus, this pesto is made from 8 simple ingredients and comes together in just 15 minutes.

Prep: 15

Total: 15

Course: Sides

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 54kcal

Author: Ruchi

Ingredients

2 cups Fresh Basil leaves
¼ cup Pinenuts toasted
3 large Garlic cloves
2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
4 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast
¼ teaspoon Black pepper freshly ground
¼ teaspoon + 1 teaspoon extra Salt
4 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Before you begin with this recipe, make sure you rinse your greens thoroughly under cold water to get rid of all the gritty things.
Dry it in-between layers of paper towels and add it to the food processor.
Add the rest of the ingredients – toasted pinenuts, garlic, salt, black pepper, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice to a food processor.
Blend on HIGH until it forms a paste.
Now, pour in olive oil, a few drizzles at a time, and PULSE in 5-8 seconds burst. Add olive oil steadily. Scrape the sides at regular intervals.
Continue blending until the desired texture is attained. The finished pesto should have the consistency of a creamed butter – smooth and creamy.
If you find the basil pesto dry, add an extra tablespoon of EVOO to achieve the consistency you like. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
Feel free to add an extra teaspoon of nutritional cheese for a cheesy flavor.
Homemade basil pesto stores well covered in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Don’t forget to drizzle a thin layer of olive oil on top of the container. This will prevent discoloration.

Notes

Expert tips to make the best Homemade Basil Pesto recipe

» No basil leaves? No worries. You can swap basil leaves for fresh spinach, cilantro, arugula, parsley, or kale leaves if you prefer. You can either use one of the greens or combine two to create your own flavor combinations. Though the use of a different green will alter the taste slightly, it still turns out delicious.

» Likewise, you can switch the pinenuts is this basil pesto recipe with either walnut, pistachios, almonds, or cashews.

» If you have nut-allergy, try sunflower seeds as an option.

» Feel free to scale the garlic in the recipe as per liking. I prefer my pesto to have a pronounced garlicky flavor, but feel free to experiment.

» I have added pinenuts that were already toasted. But if the pinenuts or any other nuts that you are using are not toasted, I would recommend toast your pinenuts first. Toasting the dry nuts deepens the flavor and gives the pesto a nice touch.

» Since my version of basil pesto sauce is vegan, I have added nutritional yeast but feel free to swap nutritional yeast for cashew parmesan or regular parmesan cheese.

Nutrition