Basil Pesto

I am a big basil lover and what’s not to love in pesto? It’s a fragrant and flavoursome mix of fresh basil, garlic, nuts and parmesan. There’s no inspiration behind this recipe as such, just some learnings from various cooking shows and a lot of experience eating out. Basil Pesto is so versatile, you can have it with pasta, pizza and even as a bread spread or dip.

Ingredients

  • 100 Gms Fresh Basil Leaves (or 50gms Basil + 50gms Baby Spinach)
  • 50 Gms or 7-8 Garlic Cloves
  • 5-6 Walnuts (or any nuts)
  • 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese (or any cheese) (Nutoras)
  • 1/2 Cup Olive Oil (or sesame oil) (Figaro)
  • 1/2 Tsp Salt

Preparation

Prep: 10 minutes
Cooking: 10 minutes


  1. If using a mortar-pestle – Add the basil leaves and garlic and hand grind them until coarse. 
  2. Then add the nuts and crush them into the basil-garlic mix.
  3. Grate parmesan cheese and add salt into the mix. Stir well.
  4. Slowly add olive oil in a slow stream and keep grinding in the mortar, scraping the edges as well. 
  5. Pesto is ready to use immediately or store. 
  6. If using a food processor – In a food processor, add basil leaves, garlic and nuts. Blend them until coarse.
  7. Next, add the cheese and salt to the processor and pulse the mix until well combined. 
  8. Pulse the processor while adding olive oil in slow stream form. Occasionally, pause the processor and scrape the edges if needed.  
  9. Pesto is ready to use or store. 
  10. If storing in the fridge, keep it in a container and add ½ cup olive oil for preservation. Cover the top of the pesto with a plastic wrap or foil to reduce moisture content. You can store it for about a week. 

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