How To Make Restaurant-Style Basil Pesto Sauce At Home (Recipe Inside)

Pasta-lovers are torn between the tomato-based Arabiatta sauce and the creamy Bechamel sauce as the base for the Italian dish. But what about Basil Pesto? This refreshing sauce is made from the most easily available ingredients and is absolutely fresh. The smooth texture and vivid green hue of the sauce makes it a delight to cook with, both visually and gastronomically. Basil Pesto is definitely an underrated sauce which is not utilised much in making our favourite Italian dishes, but definitely has potential to become part of everyday cooking.

Pesto sauce is typically made with a base of fresh basil leaves and olive oil, and is seasoned with lemon juice, pepper and salt. The sauce also uses an added ingredient of nuts, such as pine nuts for an additional nutty edge. In case pine nuts are unavailable, they can be easily substituted with cashew nuts or even peanuts for that matter. The recipe below makes about a cup of Basil Pesto Sauce, which can easily be used in cooking pasta for up to four people.

(Also Read: 25 Recipe Ideas for Leftover Pesto)

The best thing about pesto is not just its zingy and fresh taste, but also its versatility. The Basil Pesto can be used to cook pasta, as well as an alternative to the tomato-based marinara sauce in pizza recipes. Tomato bruschetta with Basil Pesto is also a wonderful bread recipe that can be easily prepared at home. Further, basil Pesto makes for a wonderful dip that can be eaten with chips, crackers or even by itself! Another great thing about the Basil Pesto is that it can be stored by freezing the sauce, which can make the sauce last for up to 2 weeks.

(Also Read: Pesto Mania: From Moringa Pesto to Spinach, Peanut Butter and More!)

Here Is The Full Recipe For Homemade Pesto Sauce:

Ingredients

2 cups fresh basil leaves

1/3 cup pine nuts (or cashew nuts)

3 cloves garlic (fresh)

1/3 cup olive oil

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Salt & pepper to taste

Method

• Mix the basil, nuts and garlic together until ground to a fine dry paste.
• Add olive oil in slowly to make the paste smoother and easier to blend.
• Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
• Keep mixing until everything is blended together.

Your delicious Basil pesto sauce is ready! The sauce is best used fresh and straight from the mixer into whatever dish you fancy to make. Try this wonderful recipe and enjoy your Italian cooking with a brand new flavour of freshness.