bonappetit4.6
Basil Pesto
Make classic basil pesto with toasted pine nuts, Parmesan, and olive oil—slather on grilled toast or toss with pasta for a quick, flavorful weeknight dinner.
👥 1 Servings🔥 Cook: 10 min👤 Andy Baraghani📖 bonappetit
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- ●baking sheet
- ●bowl
- ●food processor
- ●oven
- ●pot
📝 Preparation Steps
1
Pesto
2
Place rack in center of oven; preheat oven to 350°. Toast ½ cup pine nuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once halfway through, until golden brown, 5–⏱️ 7 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor and let cool.
3
Add 3 oz. Parmesan and 2 garlic cloves, finely grated, and pulse until finely ground, about ⏱️ 1 minute. Add 6 cups fresh basil leaves and place the top back on. With the processor running, add ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil in a slow and steady stream until pesto is mostly smooth with just a few flecks of green, stopping halfway through to scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary, about ⏱️ 1 minute. Season with 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt. Do Ahead: Pesto can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated or frozen for up to 3 months. Top with ½" extra-virgin olive oil to help prevent browning caused by oxidation. Store covered in an airtight container and chill; or freeze pesto in small portions and thaw out only what you need.
fresh basil leaves, loosely packed (about 3 bunches)6 cups. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt1 tspKosher salt
4
Pasta
5
If making Pesto Pasta: Cook 12 oz. dried long pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta cooking liquid.
. dried long pasta (such as spaghetti, linguine, or bucatini)12 oz
6
Place pesto and 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, in a large bowl. Add cooked pasta and ¼ cup pasta cooking liquid. Using tongs, toss vigorously, adding more pasta water if needed, until pasta is glossy and well coated with pesto sauce. Season with salt.
. unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces2 Tbsp
7
Divide pasta among bowls. Top with finely grated Parmesan. Editor’s note: This basil pesto recipe was first printed in August 2018. Head this way for more of our best pasta recipes →
Reviews & Ratings
Share your thoughts and feedback about this recipe
Write a Review
Community Feedback
0 ReviewsLoading reviews...