Quick & Easy Ina Garten Basil Pesto Recipe for Pasta Lovers

Basil pesto transforms ordinary meals into extraordinary culinary experiences with its vibrant green hue and robust flavors.

Mediterranean cuisine celebrates this magical sauce that blends herbaceous intensity with nutty undertones.

Each spoonful carries an aromatic punch that elevates simple dishes from bland to grand.

Professional chefs and home cooks recognize pesto versatile nature in creating quick, delectable preparations.

Fresh ingredients form the cornerstone of an authentic pesto, where quality determines its remarkable taste profile.

Seasonal basil leaves deliver a bright, complex sensation that dances across your palate with remarkable depth.

Crafting this sauce requires minimal effort but promises maximum gastronomic satisfaction: prepare to revolutionize your cooking repertoire.

What Makes Ina Garten’s Basil Pesto Recipe Fresh and Flavorful

• Burst with Fresh Herbal Explosion: Experience a vibrant punch of basil that transforms ordinary dishes into gourmet delights with just one dollop of this incredible pesto.
• Whip Up Effortless Culinary Magic: Create restaurant-quality sauce in mere minutes using basic kitchen tools like a food processor, making homemade gourmet cooking incredibly simple and accessible for everyone.
• Customize Your Flavor Adventure: Enjoy incredible flexibility with this versatile recipe by adjusting ingredient quantities, swapping nuts, or experimenting with different cheese types to match your personal taste preferences and dietary needs.
• Preserve Culinary Goodness: Store this pesto easily in refrigerator or freezer, ensuring you always have a delicious, quick sauce ready to elevate pasta, sandwiches, salads, or grilled meats within moments of craving something extraordinary.

Ingredients for Ina Garten’s Basil Pesto Recipe

• Walnuts, Pine Nuts: Crunchy nuts that provide rich, deep flavor and hearty texture to the pesto. Choose fresh, raw nuts for the best taste.
• Garlic: Adds a sharp, pungent flavor that complements the herbs. Look for firm, plump garlic cloves without any green sprouts.

• Fresh Basil Leaves: The star ingredient that gives the pesto its classic green color and aromatic flavor. Use bright green, fragrant basil leaves at peak freshness.
• Kosher Salt, Black Pepper: Essential seasonings that enhance and balance the overall taste of the pesto. Freshly ground black pepper provides the best flavor.

• Olive Oil: Smooth binding agent that creates the creamy consistency of pesto. Choose extra virgin olive oil for the most robust flavor.
• Parmesan Cheese: Adds a salty, nutty complexity to the pesto. Use freshly grated cheese for the most authentic and rich taste.

How to Make Ina Garten’s Basil Pesto Recipe

Step 1: Prepare Nutty Base

Gather walnuts, pine nuts, and 3 garlic cloves. Toss them into a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds until finely chopped and fragrant.

Step 2: Introduce Fresh Herbs

Add fresh basil leaves, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper to the nut mixture. This will create a vibrant green foundation for your pesto.

Step 3: Stream In Liquid Gold

With the food processor running, slowly drizzle extra virgin olive oil in a steady stream. Continue blending until the mixture transforms into a silky, smooth consistency.

Step 4: Incorporate Cheesy Goodness

Sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan cheese into the processor. Blend for an additional minute, ensuring the cheese integrates completely and adds a rich, tangy flavor.

Step 5: Finish and Preserve

• Refrigerate for up to 1 week
• Freeze for up to 3 months by placing in ice cube trays for convenient portioning.

Pro Tips for Ina Garten’s Basil Pesto Recipe

• Boost Nutrition Secretly: Sneak in spinach or kale to enhance the pesto's nutritional profile without altering its classic basil taste.
• Brighten with Citrus Splash: Squeeze fresh lemon juice to cut through the rich, creamy texture and add a zesty, vibrant note.
• Customize Nut Blend: Experiment with almonds or cashews alongside traditional pine nuts for a more complex, unexpected flavor dimension.
• Preserve Vibrant Color: Quickly blanch basil leaves in boiling water, then shock in ice water to maintain that stunning emerald green hue.
• Create Luxurious Texture: Stir in a touch of cream to transform your pesto into a silky, spreadable sauce perfect for pastas and sandwiches.

How to Store Ina Garten’s Basil Pesto Recipe

• Vacuum Seal Method: Preserve pesto's vibrant flavor and color by using a vacuum sealer. Remove all air from the container to prevent oxidation, which dulls the basil's bright green hue and fresh taste. Store in the refrigerator for maximum preservation.
• Mason Jar Technique: Pack pesto tightly into clean glass mason jars, leaving minimal air space. Cover the surface completely with a thin olive oil layer, creating a protective barrier against spoilage. Seal tightly and refrigerate for up to two weeks.
• Portion Freeze Strategy: Distribute pesto into silicone muffin molds or small freezer-safe containers. Once frozen, pop out individual portions and transfer to a labeled freezer bag. Quick-thaw sections allow flexible meal planning and reduce waste. Each portion stays fresh for three to four months.

Delicious Variations on Ina Garten’s Basil Pesto Recipe

• Nutty Mediterranean Blend: Swap walnuts with roasted almonds and add a handful of sun-dried tomatoes for a Mediterranean-inspired pesto with deeper, richer flavors.
• Spicy Green Kick: Incorporate fresh jalapeño or serrano peppers to create a zesty, spicy version that adds heat and complexity to the classic pesto recipe.
• Herb Garden Mix: Replace half the basil with fresh parsley, cilantro, or arugula to create a unique green sauce with more complex herbal notes and slightly different texture.
• Vegan Nutritional Boost: Substitute Parmesan cheese with nutritional yeast and use roasted cashews instead of pine nuts for a creamy, plant-based alternative that maintains rich, savory characteristics.

Ina Garten’s Basil Pesto Recipe: A Fresh Herbaceous Delight

Garten’s pesto masterpiece whispers Mediterranean magic through each verdant spoonful.

Aromatic basil leaves dance with nutty undertones, creating culinary poetry on your plate.

Walnuts and pine nuts provide deep, earthy complexity that elevates simple ingredients.

Mediterranean sunshine seems captured in this vibrant green sauce that transforms ordinary dishes into extraordinary experiences.

Now, you should savor this recipe, share its delightful secrets with friends, leave enthusiastic comments, and spread pesto passion across social media platforms.

Ina Garten Basil Pesto Recipe

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4.6 from 11 reviews

• Total Time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

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Description

Ina Garten’s classic basil pesto blends fresh Italian flavors into a silky sauce perfect for pasta, sandwiches, and appetizers. Garden-fresh basil leaves mix with pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil to create an authentic Mediterranean delight you’ll want to drizzle on everything.

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Ingredients

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Main Ingredients:

• 5 cups (1.2 liters) fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup (240 milliliters) freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 ½ cups (360 milliliters) good olive oil

Nuts and Seasonings:

• ¼ cup (60 milliliters) walnuts
• ¼ cup (60 milliliters) pignoli (pine nuts)
• 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) freshly ground black pepper

Aromatics:

• 3 tablespoons (45 milliliters) chopped garlic (9 cloves)

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Instructions

1. Prepare the nuts and garlic by combining walnuts, pine nuts, and peeled garlic cloves in a food processor. Pulse the mixture for 30 to 40 seconds until the ingredients are finely and uniformly chopped.
2. Introduce fresh basil leaves, kosher salt (about 1/2 teaspoon or 2.5 grams), and freshly ground black pepper to the food processor. These seasonings will enhance the overall flavor profile of the pesto.
3. Gradually stream extra-virgin olive oil (approximately 1/2 cup or 120 milliliters) into the running food processor. Continue blending until the mixture develops a smooth, cohesive consistency.
4. Incorporate freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup or 50 grams) into the processor. Blend for an additional 45 to 60 seconds, ensuring the cheese is completely integrated and the texture remains creamy.
5. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed, adding more salt, pepper, or olive oil to achieve the desired flavor intensity and texture.
6. Transfer the pesto to an airtight container. For immediate use, serve at room temperature. If storing, cover the surface with a thin layer of olive oil to prevent discoloration and refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

• Unlock intense flavor by bringing all ingredients to room temperature before blending.
• Toasting nuts gently releases deeper nutty aromatics and enhances overall sauce complexity.
• Customize seasoning with salt and pepper to match your personal taste preferences.
• Versatile sauce transforms simple dishes from pasta and sandwiches to grilled meats and salads.
• Preserve freshness by storing in airtight containers with a protective olive oil layer.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Category: Snacks, Appetizer
• Method: Blending
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 451
• Sugar: 0.5 g
• Sodium: 190 mg
• Fat: 49 g
• Saturated Fat: 7 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 36 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 6 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 8 g
• Cholesterol: 18 mg