Basic Homemade Pesto Recipe + How to Freeze and Enjoy All Year

homemade pesto recipe

basic homemade pestoHomemade pesto is something I’ve been making a few years in a row now, and it’s an excellent way to use up the rest of the fresh basil in your garden before a hard frost.  Freeze what you don’t use in ice cube trays to enjoy in the middle of the winter.

How to Use Your Homemade Pesto:

  • As a pasta sauce
  • Add a little homemade pesto to mayo for a sandwich spread
  • Top salmon or chicken with pesto before grilling
  • Add to mashed potatoes
  • As a baked potato topper
  • On homemade pizza as a sauce
  • In artisan breads
  • Make pesto butter as an appetizer spread

Frugal Tips:  Even though fresh Parmesan is somewhat expensive, it’s worth it.  A little bit goes a long way.  You may also experience sticker shock if you’re purchasing pine nuts for the first time.  If you have walnuts at home, they are a good substitute.  Some even prefer the taste of walnut pesto to pine nut pesto.

 

homemade-basil-pesto homemade-basil-pesto

Thanks to the Mommysavers Forum members for the inspiration behind this basil pesto recipe

Basic Homemade Pesto Recipe
 
A great recipe to make with fresh basil from your garden before the hard frost
Ingredients
  • 1½ C. fresh basil leaves
  • ½ C. extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ C. pine nuts, toasted (or walnuts)
  • ⅓ C. grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Dash of salt
  • Pepper or Tabasco to taste
Instructions
  1. /2 c chopped fresh basil
  2. /3-1/2 c extra virgin olive oil(just eyeball how ya like it as you go)
  3. /4 c pine nuts,toasted (or you can sub walnuts)
  4. /3 c grated Parmesan cheese
  5. Tbs minced garlic
  6. /4 tsp chili powder
  7. Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Freeze leftovers in ice cube trays, remove and place in a freezer bag until ready to use.