marcona almonds

Homemade Basil Pesto

/ Jodi / 29 Comments

basil 0715

It’s not easy being green….

unless you are yummy homemade basil pesto sauce!

I have an abundance of basil in my garden this year (for once!), and decided to try my hand at homemade pesto.

basil 2 0715

So I picked a bunch – oooooh the glorious smell! There is seriously nothing like (except maybe rosemary!)

pesto marcona almonds and garlic
Then I added some fresh garlic and a handful of Marcona almonds I had (as I didn’t have pine nuts on hand).  These made a great sub!

Marcona almonds are imported from Spain. They are shorter, rounder, softer, and sweeter than the California variety. They are blanched and roasted in olive oil, then sprinkled with sea salt, making for a truly delicious flavor if you have never tried.

parmesan grated for pesto

Olive oil, salt, pepper, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese are the only other things you need to make this amazing fresh sauce that goes great on a caprese sandwich or as a pasta sauce, pizza topping, or chicken marinade around here.

pesto

We especially like it on orzo pasta.

Here’s the recipe.  Enjoy!

Homemade Basil Pesto

  • Servings: approximately 1 cup
  • Print

Ingredients:

  •  2 cups fresh basil leaves (packed)pesto
  • 2-3 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup marcona almond or pine nuts
  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste (freshly ground is best)

Combine the basil, garlic, nuts, and olive oil in food processor or blender.  Season with salt and pepper.  Pour into a bowl, and gently mix in the parmesan cheese.  Serve immediately over pasta, chicken or fish, on a caprese sandwich, as a pizza topping or use as a marinade.

Cheers and Hugs,

Jodi