Authentic Pesto Sauce Recipe 🌱

pine nuts

🥗Healthier: walnuts

💰Cheaper: sunflower seeds

Walnuts provide a similar texture with lower cost.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated pecorino

Nutritional yeast is dairy-free, while pecorino is often less expensive.

Boil pasta in a pot.

Wash fresh basil leaves and remove the top leaves, avoiding the stems to prevent bitterness.

In a food processor, add extra virgin olive oil and some garlic to blend first.

Blend the garlic with olive oil until smooth.

Add a handful of nuts (pine nuts or cashews) to the garlic and oil mixture and blend again.

Add grated parmesan cheese to the mixture and blend until combined.

Slowly drizzle in more extra virgin olive oil while blending until emulsified.

Add the basil leaves to the mixture and blend carefully, adding salt at the end to avoid darkening the basil.

Season with salt and black pepper to taste, blending quickly to combine.

Prepare garlic butter by mixing butter with parsley and seasoning.

Toast homemade bread with garlic butter.

Strain the boiled pasta and plate it with the pesto sauce on top.

Finish the dish with more parmesan cheese and mix well.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens