Making Fresh Pesto Is Incredibly Easy, Here's How

Pesto
Cole Saladino/Thrillist
Cole Saladino/Thrillist

Making fresh pesto is not nearly as intimidating as it seems. With only a handful of easy-to-find ingredients and a whirl of a blender, food processor, or any other contained blade you can have a fresh pasta topper to rival any store-bought container. It's seriously one of the quickest and most flavorful ways to dress carbs. I usually recoil at green foods, but pesto is an exception. Probably because of all that cheese.

Pesto
Cole Saladino/Thrillist

Blend it up

In a food processor (or blender), combine:

  • 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ¼ cup pine nuts
  • ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil


Pulse until it's nice and smooth.

Pesto
Cole Saladino/Thrillist

Cheese it up

Stir in ½ cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese, then season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Pesto pasta
Cole Saladino/Thrillist

Eat it up

Toss the pesto with hot pasta and a touch of the pasta's cooking water. The starch in the water will help thicken the whole thing up.

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Perry Santanachote is Thrillist's former recipes editor. Follow her at @perrysant.