Classic Pesto – Non-Dairy
Smgross1947
A couple of weekends ago, I plant sat for a friend, who gifted me some basil to take home. That was a couple of months ago, which was used in at least a few recipes before I ran out. The first picture is of me with the original stalk of basil! Big and tall, am I right? ๐
What else do you do with that much basil besides making (almost) more classic pesto (non-dairy of course) than your food processor can handle! I promise itโs delish, and only about 5 ingredients in the blender. ๐
So you can imagine my delight when she told me she had a new plant and needed to get rid of more basil, and was giving more to me! I thought this was a one-time thing, so having a fresh basil supply with the amount of Italian cooking I do is invaluable. However, I was not expecting her to gift me a basil plant the size of a small toddler!! See the third picture above for yourself. She, unfortunately, has moved out of state, so until Jamie and I start up our garden this spring, we’re out of basil for a little while, but you can make this recipe at home whenever you like!
The layer of oil on top is to protect it from going bad by preserving it. Check out more pictures and tips on how to make our pesto in our blog here.
- Prep Time: 15m
- Cook Time: 10m
- Total Time: 25m
- Serves: 2 people
- Yield: 2 cups pesto
- Category: Italian & Pasta
Ingredients
- 1/3 c Basil leaves, roughly chopped
- 3 Garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp. Pine nuts, toasted in a pan over low heat until golden brown (stir often)
- 2 tbsp. Violife's Just Like Parmesan, or Manchego cheese (sheep cheese), finely grated
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 1/2 tsp. Black pepper, freshly ground
- 1/2 c Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Place chopped basil in a food processor with salt, pepper, garlic, and about 1/4 cup of olive oil (to start) and pulse until very finely chopped and the herbs are completely incorporated together.
- Lightly toast pine nuts for a few minutes in a pan with 1 tbs. of olive oil over low heat, just until they start to turn golden brown. Stir often to make sure they donโt stick!
- Add pine nuts to the food processor as well, pulsing to combine and break them down until they are about the same size as the rest of the ingredients. If you like your pesto a little chunkier, pulse a few times less (about 2-7 times).
- Add in the remaining oil, cheese, and pulse until just combined. If you are going to reserve the pesto for another time, store in an airtight container with olive oil covering the level of the pesto, you can freeze it too!