Classic pesto

Classic pesto

Why buy ready-made pesto when you can make your own in basically 30 seconds at a fraction of the store prices? And the taste... it beats any pre-made options!
August 17 2019 recipe by , photo by , nutritional review by in Recipes, Condiments

Classic pesto

Why buy ready-made pesto when you can make your own in basically 30 seconds at a fraction of the store prices? And the taste... it beats any pre-made options!
USMetric
4 servingservings

Ingredients

  • 2⁄3 cup 160 ml extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 cup (2¾ oz.) 240 ml (80 g) shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 2 oz. (11⁄3 cups) 55 g (300 ml) fresh basil
  • 2 oz. (62⁄3 tbsp) 55 g (95 ml) pine nuts
  • 1 1 garlic clovegarlic cloves
  • salt and ground black pepper
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Instructions

Instructions are for 4 servings. Please modify as needed.

  1. Mix all the ingredients for the pesto with a few tablespoons of the olive oil. Use a food processor or a blender.
  2. Add the rest of the oil and mix a bit more.

Tips

You can store the pesto in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks. You can also freeze it.

This pesto is amazing in sauces, soups and stews. Not to mention salads and spreads... Yum!

Recommended special equipment

Blender or food processor

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What did you think? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below!

14 comments

  1. 1
    Caro
    December 4 2019
    Hello,
    this pesto is not dairy free. It contains parmesan cheese. Can you skip that or what can replace it for a dairy free pesto?
    Thanks in advance.
    Reply: #2
  2. 2
    Reply to comment #1 by Caro
    Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor
    December 4 2019

    Hello,
    this pesto is not dairy free. It contains parmesan cheese. Can you skip that or what can replace it for a dairy free pesto?
    Thanks in advance.

    You can omit it, but it will affect the taste and texture somewhat.

  3. 3
    Marg Greenwood
    February 16 2020
    Use nutritional yeast
  4. 4
    Melissa
    February 24 2020
    I used walnuts bc that's what I had on hand. Yummy, thanks!
  5. 5
    bassem.sabagh
    May 7 2020
    Hello
    Not sure how uou make up 500 cal from this.. just not enough ingredients
  6. 6
    crystalspin
    June 22 2020
    Should the parmesan be "fresh" shredded, or grated like from the green canister??? Makes a difference in the volume with the weight being the measure...
    Reply: #7
  7. 7
    Reply to comment #6 by crystalspin
    Crystal Pullen Team Diet Doctor
    June 22 2020

    Should the parmesan be "fresh" shredded, or grated like from the green canister??? Makes a difference in the volume with the weight being the measure...

    Freshly shredded/grated parmesan is best to avoid added ingredients.

  8. 8
    miriamlyall
    July 6 2020
    this is listed in the dairy free section. But it contains cheese. Hey! (perhaps remove it from this section)?
    Reply: #9
  9. 9
    Reply to comment #8 by miriamlyall
    Crystal Pullen Team Diet Doctor
    July 6 2020

    this is listed in the dairy free section. But it contains cheese. Hey! (perhaps remove it from this section)?

    I let our team know, thank you.

  10. 10
    Quitsalot
    October 1 2020
    I recommend not blending the pine nuts but putting them in a pestle and mortar then you get a few delicious crunchy bits rather than a paste! I also toast the nuts in a dry pan first. Is this ok or does it create more carbs?
  11. 4 comments removed
  12. 15
    Debbie
    March 29 2021
    Is it possible to make pesto without nuts ?
    Reply: #16
  13. 16
    Reply to comment #15 by Debbie
    Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor
    March 30 2021

    Is it possible to make pesto without nuts ?

    Yes, it is. If you do an internet search for "nut free pesto" there are several recipe options from which to choose.

  14. 17
    Dawn
    August 29 2022
    I seem to be one of the few people that doesn't care for basil. Would this work well with parsley? Pesto is listed in a lot of recipes and usually I just totally omit.
    Reply: #18
  15. 18
    Reply to comment #17 by Dawn
    Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor
    August 29 2022

    I seem to be one of the few people that doesn't care for basil. Would this work well with parsley? Pesto is listed in a lot of recipes and usually I just totally omit.

    It may result in a slightly different flavor, but you can certainly use parsley instead of basil.

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