Garden Basil Pesto

Makes about 2 cups

Wet Ingredients

• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Dry Ingredients

• ⅓ cup pine nuts or walnuts

• ¾ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Produce

• 3 garlic cloves

• 4 packed cups fresh basil leaves

Seasonings

• ½ tsp black pepper

• ¾ tsp kosher salt

Instructions

1. Prep the basil.
Wash the basil only if needed and dry it extremely well. A salad spinner works great. Excess water can make pesto watery and shorten its refrigerator life.

2. Blend the base.
Add the garlic and nuts to a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped. **I like to toast my pine nuts beforehand

Add the basil, freshly graded parmesan, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Pulse several times.

3. Add the olive oil.
With the food processor running on low, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Process just until smooth but still slightly textured. Avoid overprocessing because heat can darken the basil.

Taste and add a little more salt or lemon if needed!

For the refrigerator

Put the pesto into a clean, airtight glass jar. Smooth the top and refrigerate promptly.

I'd plan to use homemade pesto within about 3–4 days rather than trying to extend its refrigerator life substantially. Fresh garlic stored in oil creates a food-safety concern, so lemon juice and a layer of olive oil shouldn't be relied upon to make homemade pesto safe for weeks.

If you won't use it within a few days, freeze it right away.

Best way to freeze it

For you, I'd do 4-ounce or 8-ounce freezer-safe Mason jars rather than your medium jars. That gives you useful portions without having to thaw a huge batch.

Fill each jar while leaving about ½–1 inch of headspace for expansion. Wipe the rim, screw on the lid, label it

Then freeze.

You can also freeze pesto in silicone ice-cube trays, then pop the frozen portions into a freezer bag. That's especially handy when you just need a tablespoon or two for pasta, soup, eggs, sandwiches, chicken, or vegetables.

How long?

For best quality, I'd aim to use frozen pesto within about 6 months, although properly frozen food can remain safe longer.

One trick for prettier green pesto: If you're making a big batch specifically for freezing, you can leave the Parmesan out and stir freshly grated Parmesan into it after thawing. It freezes beautifully either way, but I prefer the texture with fresh Parmesan added afterward.

And with 4 cups of basil per batch, this should make a pretty good dent in your garden basil. 🌿