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    Home » Main Course

    Genovese Basil Pesto Sauce

    Published: Jul 26, 2021 by Diana Reis · This post may contain affiliate links

    ↓ Jump to Recipe

    Perfectly balanced Genovese Basil Pesto Sauce has bright flavors, and a touch of garlicky spice. This perfect pesto coats pasta beautifully and makes a delicious and easy weeknight meal.

    plated pesto over fettucine with ingredients on side

    Making Basil Pesto is beyond easy. It starts with choosing a few good ingredients, and ends with a blast in the food processor. 

    Contents hide
    Ingredients
    Instructions
    FAQs
    Chef's Tips
    📖 Recipe
    Genovese Basil Pesto Sauce

    Ingredients

    Italian Basil Pesto Ingreidents

    Genovese Basil- This is also referred to as sweet basil and is the variety found in most grocery stores. Look for large healthy looking bundles with large, unblemished leaves. 

    Try to find two big bundles for this recipe. You will need two cups packed. By packed, I really mean stuff the leaves into a measuring cup. Two loose cups just isn't very much basil. 

    Parmesan Cheese- Good Parmigiano Reggiano is the best choice for this recipe with a mild nutty flavor and plenty of saltiness. You only need a few ounces so it is worth the splurge to have that perfect flavor and texture. If you are in a pinch and can't find a good Parmigiano, then a Pecorino Romano is the next best thing.

    Pine Nuts- These nuts are toasted and add light, buttery flavor. A little goes a long way, but they are worth it.

    Instructions

    Step 1

    • Toast pine nuts by heating a small pan. Add pine nuts to the dry pan and let them warm through for 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let them cool.
    pine nuts in skillet toasting

    Step 2

    • Wash your basil and set it out on a paper towel to collect the excess water. Remove the leaves from the stems by pinching the stems just below the leaf clusters.
    cleaned basil leaves

    This way you will be left with nice, unblemished leaves and very little stem.

    Step 3

    • Measure the basil leaves and place them in the food processor. Add peeled garlic cloves, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
    Pesto ingredients in food processor

    Step 4

    •  Blend the basil with other ingredients using the pulse button on the food processor. Scrape down the bowl, and continue to blend until the pesto is evenly chopped and mixed. 
    Blended pesto in food processor bowl

    Step 5

    • Serve this pesto over pasta for a light summer dinner.
    Pesto over fettucine

    FAQs

    Do I need to toast pine nuts before using them?

    Pine nuts are perfectly safe to eat raw. However, toasting pine nuts in a dry pan will deepen their flavor and give you a nice buttery nut to add to a dish.

    Does Pesto need to be cooked?

    The short answer is no. Everything in the pesto is safe to eat raw and it is actually much more flavorful uncooked. Cooking pesto will dampen the flavors and melt your cheese which changes the texture.
    If you are using pesto as a pasta sauce, then you can add the sauce directly to the hot pasta. The hot pasta will warm the sauce through. You can add ¼ cup of pasta water to the sauce to thin it.

    Can I store fresh pesto?

    Yes! You can keep fresh basil pesto in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also freeze pesto for up to six months.

    Chef's Tips

    If your parmesan is whole, don’t waste time grating it by hand. Simply throw it in the food processor ahead of the rest of the ingredients. Make sure the bowl and blade are dry, then pulse large pieces until you have evenly grated parmesan.

    What is the best way to use Genovese Basil Pesto Sauce?

    The best thing about a great basil pesto sauce recipe is that there are so many ways to use it. The most popular way to use pesto is to put it on pasta, but it can be used as a marinade or sauce for chicken and fish. 

    Heat pesto up with cream and make a creamy pesto sauce. 

    You can use it to garnish sliced tomatoes and cheese for a punched up Caprese salad or just put it on toast with eggs for breakfast. Genovese Basil Pesto really offers limitless culinary opportunities.

    white bowl with large serving spaghetti with pesto

    I bet you are craving some serious Italian food.

    For a hearty Sunday Supper try ...

    • Classic Meat Lasagna
    • Authentic Italian Meatballs in Red Pasta Sauce.
    • Italian Stuffed Artichokes
    • 30 Minutes Tomato Basil Bisque
    • Roasted Artichokes with Roasted Garlic Aioli

    📖 Recipe

    pesto on noodles twirled around fork

    Genovese Basil Pesto Sauce

    Perfectly balanced Genovese Basil Pesto Sauce has bright flavors, and a touch of garlicky spice. This perfect pesto coats pasta beautifully and makes a delicious and easy weeknight meal.
    4.67 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dinner
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8 People
    Calories: 285kcal
    Author: Diana Reis

    Equipment

    • Food Processor

    Ingredients

    • 2 Cups Basil packed cups or approximately 2 bundles
    • 1 Cup Olive Oil
    • 6 Cloves Garlic
    • ¼ Cup Pine nuts
    • ¼ Cup Parmesan Cheese grated
    • 2 tablespoon Lemon Juice juice of 1 lemon
    • 1 teaspoon Salt
    • ½ teaspoon Pepper

    Instructions

    • Toast pine nuts by heating a small pan. Add pine nuts to the dry pan and let them warm through for 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let them cool.
    • Wash your basil and set it out on a paper towel to collect the excess water. Remove the leaves from the stems by pinching the stems just below the leaf clusters. (This way you will be left with nice, unblemished leaves and very little stem.)
    • Measure the basil leaves and place them in the food processor. Add peeled garlic cloves, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
    • Blend the basil with other ingredients using the pulse button on the food processor. Scrape down the bowl, and continue to blend until the pesto is evenly chopped and mixed.
    • Serve this pesto over pasta for a light summer dinner.

    Notes

    Do I need to toast pine nuts before using them?
    Pine nuts are perfectly safe to eat raw. However, toasting pine nuts in a dry pan will deepen their flavor and give you a nice buttery nut to add to a dish.
    Does Pesto need to be cooked?
    The short answer is no. Everything in the pesto is safe to eat raw and it is actually much more flavorful uncooked. Cooking pesto will dampen the flavors and melt your cheese which changes the texture.
    If you are using pesto as a pasta sauce, then you can add the sauce directly to the hot pasta. The hot pasta will warm the sauce through. You can add ¼ cup of pasta water to the sauce to thin it. 
    Can I store fresh pesto?
    Yes! You can keep fresh basil pesto in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also freeze pesto for up to six months.
    Tips and Tricks
    If your parmesan is whole, don’t waste time grating it by hand. Simply throw it in the food processor ahead of the rest of the ingredients. Make sure the bowl and blade are dry, then pulse large pieces until you have evenly grated parmesan.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 342mg | Potassium: 52mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 341IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @DianDeliciousB or tag #DeliciousByDesign!

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    Comments

      4.67 from 6 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Jen says

      August 05, 2019 at 11:07 pm

      5 stars
      Made it last night! Printed for my recipe book. The most perfect pesto!

      Reply
    2. Beth Pierce says

      August 05, 2019 at 11:16 pm

      5 stars
      What a delicious recipe! A restaurant worthy dish, indeed! Looking forward to making this for dinner tonight!

      Reply
    3. Tammy says

      August 05, 2019 at 11:32 pm

      5 stars
      This sounds so delicious! I can never get enough pesto! I've got so much fresh basil in the garden now. Simple pasta meals like this are my favorite 🙂

      Reply
    4. Caroline says

      August 06, 2019 at 12:10 am

      We make pesto at home regularly, so agree how easy it is and definitely better than bought.

      Reply
    5. Shashi at SavorySpin says

      August 06, 2019 at 1:05 am

      I love basil pesto - and yours has me drooling - its so good with pasta and meats too!

      Reply
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    I’m passionate about the family dinner table. Connecting with each other at the end of the day over a good meal creates strong family bonds and healthy long-lasting relationships. I want to help families and friends build those relationships.

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