Traditional Basil Pesto: The Best Recipe in Italian Cuisine

An Italian classic – Traditional Basil Pesto is an amazing dish that showcases basil, an herb that tastes as fresh as it smells. Basil pesto is traditionally made using a few, specific ingredients.

Let’s keep it simple and delicious with this special recipe.

Ready in 15 minutes

Traditional Basil Pesto comes together quickly! The thought of making pesto (and pesto that tastes great) sounds much more intimidating than actually making pesto. Plus, you can always add more ingredients to find the right balance if something feels off.

Ingredients

Fresh Basil: 1 large bunch or packet
Extra Virgin Olive Oil: 2-3 tablespoons
Parmigiano-Reggiano (Parmesan Cheese): 1/4-1/2 cup
Pine Nuts: 2-3 tablespoons
Garlic (optional): 1-2 cloves

Directions

Toast the Pine Nuts

To toast the pine nuts on the stove, cook with a nonstick pan on a medium low heat. No oil or butter is necessary as the pine nuts take the heat well.

First, slowly increase the heat into a cold pan.
Add the pine nuts when the pan is warm.
As you cook, regularly toss the pine nuts to avoid burning – be patient and toast to golden brown color.

Blend the Dry and Wet Ingredients

Start to combine the ingredients into a food processor:

First, add the remaining dry ingredients into the food processor. This includes the basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Salt to taste.
Second, before processing, add some of the extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) in with the dry ingredients. Start slowly and add more EVOO as you go.
Third, turn on the food processor and blend for 30 seconds to one minute, or until blended. At this point, add more EVOO as needed. If you only need to add a little bit, add the EVOO and mix with a spoon instead of blending further.

Using a Mortar and Pestle to make Traditional Basil Pesto?

If you prefer to use a mortar and pestle, start with smaller amounts of each ingredient as you begin to work them down into a paste – salt helps to create friction and break down the ingredients.

The most important thing to remember when using a mortar and pestle to make Traditional Basil Pesto is to picture yourself cooking from the Tuscan countryside!

Taste Test your Traditional Basil Pesto!

How you know if the consistency is correct? Place the Traditional Basil Pesto in a bowl. The consistency should be smooth with a thin layer the EVOO resting flat across the top.

Finally, taste test the basil pesto. Like we outlined above, add more ingredients to find the right consistency. Add more dry ingredients if the EVOO taste is too strong.

Pairs well with an Heirloom Tomato Salad.

Recommendations

Traditional Basil Pesto on a Toasted Crostini with Ricotta Cheese

After the basil pesto comes together in the food processor, it’s ready to eat. A quick, simple way to test out your basil pesto is topped on a toasted crostini and ricotta cheese – classic and comforting!