Basil Walnut Pesto


The basil plants on our patio absolutely loved all the rain we had last week. Yes, it occasionally rains in San Diego. Only 2 of our original 6 plants are left, but they are thriving. I wanted to take advantage of the harvest before the caterpillars got them, those guys are quick!

This recipe made enough for 2 meals. The first night we had it with grilled red snapper and last night we served it over chicken and pasta.

Extremely versatile, easy to make, healthy and delicious, there are many variations of pesto, but this is the basic recipe, the way it should be. Enjoy!

Basil Walnut Pesto

Ingredients: (makes about 1 cup)
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
4 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine the basil and chopped walnuts and pulse in a food processor. Add the garlic and pulse a few more times.

Slowly add the olive oil while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.


7 comments:

  1. Oh I bet that is amazing, I love pesto and using walnut is a great idea! I never even thought of changing that...I wonder if you could use other nuts too?

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  2. There is nothing like freshly made pesto...yum! The photos are gorgeous too!

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  3. I LOVE basil walnut pesto. This looks so green, it's beautiful. Is your basil plant surviving the winter?

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  4. My basil is all dead for the winter. It didn't do well at all last year anyway. I'm going to try four or five varieties again when the weather is warmer.

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  5. It's amazing, but yes, somehow it's still going!

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  6. I love using pesto but I don't have any fresh basil right now but I make a lot when I do. I am not a fan of pine nuts so I usually make it with walnuts or almonds.

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  7. So jealous that you have fresh basil right now. I use a similar recipe in the lase summer, which is really the only time I have enough fresh basil in my garden to harvest for making pesto. I usually make a big batch and freeze the pesto in an ice cube tray. I only have a few cubes left before I run out.

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Thank you for your comments!