Making Fresh Pesto Is Incredibly Easy, Here's How
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.
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.
Cheese it up
Stir in ½ cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese, then season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
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.