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Pesto is so versatile and delicious! Today I’m going to share a simple recipe my mother-in-law taught me, before I knew how to grow my own basil. She always had a wonderful crop and made this pesto. You can leave out the cheese for a Paleo version.
This version has Parmesan cheese, but you can easily leave out the cheese for a Paleo/Whole 30 version.
- 4 Cups Fresh, packed basil leaves
- 1 Cup Shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 Cup Chopped, unsalted walnuts or pine nuts I like the flavor of pine nuts, but walnuts are so much less expensive
- 2-3 Cloves of fresh garlic
- 1 Tsp Lemon juice
- Pinch Salt
- Pinch Pepper
- 1-1.5 Cups Olive Oil
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Pluck off the basil leaves, discarding the stems and leaves. If any leaves have browned, discard. Rinse, and pat dry, allowing to fully dry for 20 minutes or so. Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients. Shred the Parmesan with a grater (don’t use Parmesan from a shaker), and peel and chop the garlic (although you can put in the whole cloves if desired). When basil is dry, add 4 packed cups to the food processor. Pulse just a few times. Add in the other ingredients, except for the oil. Pulse a few times just to combine. With processor running, add in the oil from the top pour spout, pausing occasionally to scrape the sides. Add oil and blend until desired consistency is reached. Freeze, or keep fresh in fridge for up to 3 days.
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