Pesto
Classic basil pesto plus variations you can make with whatever greens you have.
30 min total, minimal dishes, pesto elevates any meal
Timing: 30 mins
Pesto
Classic basil pesto plus variations you can make with whatever greens you have.
30 min total, minimal dishes, pesto elevates any meal
Timing: 30 mins
Key move
Stream the oil into the food processor while it's running, watching for a spoonable consistency; too much oil makes it thin, too little makes it dry.
Cook mode keeps your place
Larger text, ingredients in reach, and saved step progress while you cook.
The Setup
- Food Processor
- Cutting Board
- Chef's Knife
The Mise en Place
5 of 8Your prep station before cooking begins
The Aromatics (0/1)
The Spice Blend (0/1)
The Pantry (0/2)
The Finish (0/2)
My pesto is looking dry and crumbly, not coming together like a paste.
Ah, that happens when we don't quite get enough oil in there.
My pesto is too thin and oily, almost soupy.
It sounds like we might have added a bit too much oil. Don't worry, we can often fix this. Try adding a small handful of your nuts (or whatever you used) and pulse them in. That wi…
Chef's Notes
For brighter pesto, blanch basil leaves for 10 seconds before blending. Shock in ice water to stop cooking.
Toast pine nuts lightly before adding to pesto. This deepens their flavor and adds a subtle crunch.
Stir pesto into warm pasta, spread on sandwiches, or dollop onto grilled chicken or fish.
Swap pine nuts for toasted walnuts or almonds for a different nutty flavor profile.
The Method
PULSE
In a food processor: nuts + garlic + cheese + salt. Pulse until sandy.
Over-processing: If pulsed too long, the nuts will release their oils and create a nut butter base rather than a crumbly texture.
Nuts, garlic, cheese, and salt are pulsed into a sandy mixture.
ADD BASIL
Add basil and pulse a few quick bursts.
Oxidation: Over-processing the basil causes it to heat up and turn dark brown or black.
Basil is added and pulsed a few times with the nut mixture.
STREAM OIL
With the processor running, stream in oil until spoonable.
Breaking the emulsion: Adding oil too quickly can cause the sauce to separate or become greasy rather than creamy.
Oil is streamed in while the processor is running, creating a spoonable pesto.
FINISH
Taste. Add lemon if it tastes flat. Adjust salt carefully.
Over-salting: Parmesan cheese is naturally salty; taste before adding extra salt to avoid an inedible result.
Pesto is tasted and adjusted with lemon juice and salt as needed.
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