Make Your Own Pesto. Seriously. Do It.

There are some sauces that take dedication. So much dedication, in fact, that it makes more sense to buy it or order it when you’re eating out. I’m just being realistic. Then there are other sauces that are so simple that you have no excuse not to make them.

Enchilada sauce is one of those sauces. Pesto is another one.

You can and should make it from scratch at home. It’s not just that homemade pesto is incredibly simple to make, it tastes fantastic. Homemade pesto tastes far better out of my food processor than it does out of the jar, or tube, or whatever you buy your store-bought pesto in.

How to Make Pesto Sauce

*3 tbsp. freeze dried basil leaves

*2 cloves garlic, peeled

*2 tbsp. pine nuts

*3 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

*Salt and pepper to taste

*4 tbsp olive oil

Yields enough for about four servings.

Directions: Process everything except salt, pepper, and olive oil. Then add the last two ingredients and continute to process. Add more olive oil until you have the consistency you want.

Pesto after thoughts: One clove of garlic would suffice. A little garlic goes a long way in this pesto recipe. I definitely used more than 4 tbsp. of olive oil (maybe 6 or 7 ?). It seemed I needed more than I thought I would to get the right consistency. Clearly, fresh basil would be better than dried basil. After Jason made his tapenade, we had an abundance of dried basil in the fridge. It worked surprisingly well!

whole grain spaghetti noodles with pesto

Now, for a twist. I know I bring up New York restaurants quite a bit, but can you blame me? After eating there for a little over I year I learned quite a bit about food, including how amazing pesto tastes with pomegranate. We discovered that at Ristorante Il Melograno in Hell’s Kitchen.

pomegranate with pesto

pesto dish with pomegranate seeds

Try it. You’ll love homemade pesto sauce with pomegranate.

3 comments

  1. I love the pomegranate idea! I’m eager to give this a try. I agree that pesto is one of the best sauces to make at home…so easy and so much more affordable. Thank you for sharing. I hope you have a great day!

    1. Monet – You’ll love the pomegranate. I’m sure of it. You’re latest post on banana bread looks awesome. I may have to try that one for myself, too.

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