Share this!
Pesto is one of my favorite sauces to cook with as it’s easy to make and isn’t very time consuming. I have tried different pestos from many restaurants and found a lot of them to be very bland. So, if you are a busy shepherd looking for a TASTY, fast, and easy to make dish, try this out!
To make Pesto, you will need:
1. Fresh basil leaves – About 2 cups
At Trader Joe’s, they have an entire container of basil for only 2.99!
2. Roasted Almonds – About 1/2 a cup
Pine Nuts are usually used in pesto recipes. I have seen people also use walnuts, however almonds are cheaper, work just as great and give the pesto a great taste!
3. Garlic – At least 4, but I suggest 8!
Most recipes I have seen suggest about 3-4 cloves…. But you can never have too much garlic in my opinion!! This is what makes the pesto tastier. Many pestos have a bland taste because of their lack of garlic!
4. Parmesan cheese – About 1/2 a cup
5. Olive oil – About 1/3 cup
The amount of olive you use will determine the consistency of the pesto. More olive oil makes the pesto easier to spread. Use more if desired.
6. Black Pepper and Salt – to taste, but I tend to use at least 3 tbsp of pepper and about 1 tbsp of Salt
I recommend being heavy handed with the pepper, especially if you want to use less salt.
7. A Blender or Food Processor
Process the ingredients into a puree consistency. If your pesto is too dry to blend thoroughly, I recommend adding more olive oil
NOTE: I don’t know exact measurements as I tend to measure with my eyes. These are rough measurements, but modify them to your liking!
As far as serving size goes, I tend to end up using half of the pesto to make a big dish for me and my mother, with enough left overs to last for another 3-4 servings. The other half of the pesto is stored in a tightly sealed container in the fridge that can last up to 2 weeks!
Use your homemade pesto in pasta dishes, baked dishes, combine it with rice and chicken, or toss it with vegetables – this recipe is really versatile!
The pesto should stay good for at least 2 weeks refrigerated in a tightly sealed container.
Enjoy, hungry shepherds!
I love pesto! It’s tasty and good in so many dishes. I’ve never tried to make it myself, but this recipe gives me courage! Haha. I’m gonna try it! I’m also gonna make sure to add enough garlic!! Especially since I don’t have to worry about chopping it all ever since you introduced me to minced garlic 😀
Hehe 😊 thankfully you won’t need to chop anything for this you can just dump it all in a food processor which is why I like making this haha
Pesto is amazing. I’ve never tried to make it from scratch, though. I do like the taste of it in sandwiches and veggies. Thank you for the recipe and i am glad it is easy to make. I think I’ll try to make it.
Pesto with beans, mmm… 😜
Also freezing pesto in small batches (like in ice cube trays or ziplock baggies) is a way to preserve it even longer, for a couple of months.
Ice cube pesto?!?! That’s GENIUS!!!! Thank you for opening my eyes to this beautiful suggestion hahaha
Beeans…………my favorite 😖 oo thx for the tip!
I love pesto. I like it in my pasta and chicken paninis. But I never made it myself. Thanks for the recipe Im going to try to make it. Thanks Jean
THANK YOU!! I’m hard pressed to find something that I would not put pesto on. It is so delicious. Thank you for this!! I like the idea of using almonds instead of pine nuts. I think I’ll try that!
Side note: I’m impressed that you can measure with your eyes like that! Maybe one day I can also have that testimony. Which means I need to cook more…
Yes we got the answer!! God bless you, Melissa, now you’ll inherit Sarah’s secret to cooking too
Ha, I have a very good suggestion to that sense of problem you have. Well,.. at least it was how God helped me personally in the matter of learning the art of cooking. If you ask me in person, I can tell you 😉
OooOooOoh a secret?? Teach me too! 😀
Lol. I think I already told you it..
Just randomly came back to this post and I forgot the answer to this question about the secret of your cooking T.T I remember you told me in person but I only ever remember things that are in writing lol
Wow, all these pictures look great, showing how versatile pesto can be used for! Thanks for sharing!
This looks yummy! I never ate pesto as a kid growing up but after trying it at the church I can’t get enough! Ever since coming to the church I have been blessed to taste and eat so many different types of foods!