6-Ingredient Fresh Basil Pesto Recipe Makes Pasta & Sandwiches So Much Better (Just 10 Minutes) Sauces/Condiments Pasta Vegetarian Vegetables Italian Recipes

If you like the refreshing taste of pesto, you are going to love my easy six-ingredient fresh basil pesto recipe. This savory sauce recipe makes pasta and sandwiches (and more) taste so much better!

I grow basil every summer, and it often grows faster than I can add it to my salads. That's why I love making this simple basil pesto recipe to use some of that great basil. You only need five other ingredients for this recipe: olive oil, sea salt, pine nuts, garlic and lemon juice. 

This recipe freezes well, so you can enjoy it long after the basil plants are done producing. Here's my tasty basil recipe that I use on pasta, sandwiches, toast and more. So simple, healthy and delicious!

Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 large bunches basil (about 4 cups loosely packed)
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Dash of sea salt
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 1 to 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• juice of half a lemon

Here's how you make it:

1. Put all ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Scrape down the sides and pulse again.

Notes: To use on pasta, put into a small bowl and blend in 1 to 4 tablespoons of soft butter. Top pasta with sauce and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. To freeze, put the pesto in freezer containers and spread a thin layer of olive oil on top.

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