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–+ servings
Pesto Genovese recipe is easy to make and a crowd pleaser
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Pesto Genovese

Growing basil is easy, and pesto Genovese is a great way to preserve it and enjoy it year round.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Condiments
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: pesto Genovese, pesto Genovese recipe
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 174kcal
Author: Chloe Tuttle

Ingredients

  • 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves
  • 2 large cloves garlic minced or mashed
  • 1/2 cup olive oil good quality
  • 2/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
  • 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, freshly grated is best if using pre-grated, grind in a food processor before adding to pesto
  • Handful of grape tomatoes optional

Instructions

  • Wash and dry the basil leaves. Peel the garlic and mash it. Put basil, garlic and oil in blender and blend until smooth. Slowly add nuts and mix.
  • Remove from blender and mix in cheese. I like to blend some of the cheese in with the basil mixture
  • Serving Suggestions : Serve on noodles with diced grape tomatoes as garnish. It is also very good in salad dressings or on crusty bread.

Notes

* You can use fresh spinach leaves instead of basil leaves
Yield 1 1/2 cups
** You can use walnuts or pecans instead of pine nuts
This Pesto Recipe is adapted from Craig Claiborne’s Pesto Genovese in his New York Times International Cookbook.

Nutrition

Calories: 174kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 255mg | Potassium: 101mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 300IU | Vitamin C: 0.9mg | Calcium: 194mg | Iron: 0.9mg