Fresh Basil Pesto Sauce

 
Ingredients for fresh basil pesto pasta sauce
 

Pesto is one of the best, and most underrated, sauces out there! It’s delicious in everything, from poured over some pasta, to spread on grilled vegetable sandwiches, to mixed in with cream cheese on a bagel or cracker (this one is UNBELIEVABLY good). This recipe is also amazing if you have a flourishing basil plant and find yourself with more basil than you can handle.

Fresh Basil Pesto Sauce’s Environmental Benefits

  • Buying items in bulk, such as herbs, garlic, nuts, and oils, cuts down on excess packaging going into landfills or oceans, especially when using Reusable Produce Bags and Bulk Bin Bags

  • Many of these herbs and ingredients are easy to grow in a backyard garden or even on an apartment windowsill, vastly cutting down on the carbon footprint emitted from transporting food

  • Buying pre-packaged and convenience food from fast food chains or grocery stores promotes the use of single use containers, utensils, napkins, and more that’ll end up in landfills and oceans, whereas making the same meal at home makes single use items obsolete

Fresh Basil Pesto Sauce - Simple Ecology

Fresh Basil Pesto Sauce

Prep time: 5 minutes
Total time: 10 minutes

Makes 1½ Cups

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups Fresh Basil Leaves (tightly packed)
  • 1 cup Fresh Parsley Leaves (tightly packed)
  • 4 cloves of Garlic
  • ¼ cup Pine Nuts
  • ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • ½ cup shredded Parmesan Cheese
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. PREP: Remove leaves from the stems of the basil and parsley, keeping the leaves to use in the sauce. Peel the garlic cloves, set aside, and shred the parmesan cheese.

2. BLEND: Add the basil, parsley, garlic, pine nuts, and shredded cheese to the bowl of a food processor and mix until everything is incorporated. With the food processor on, slowly drizzle in the oil until the mixture is smooth and fully combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. ENJOY: This sauce requires no cooking and is ready to be used immediately. Alternatively, store the sauce in an airtight container, or container with a reusable jar cover, in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Notes:

  • Make It Vegan- This recipe can easily be made vegan, substitute in a vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast for the cheese.

  • Make It Nut-Free- If you have nut allergies, the pine nuts can easily be left out of this recipe to make it nut free.

    Did you make this recipe?

    We love to see your pictures!

    Tag @simple_ecology and hashtag it #simpleecology

    © Simple Ecology

    • Sauces, Vegetarian, Gluten-FreeSimple EcologymealsComment