Effortless Summer Pesto
SERVES 10
PREP TIME 10 minutes
TOTAL TIME 10 minutes
NUTRITIONAL FACTS
Serving Size: 62.92g
Calories: 341
| Amount per Serving* | |
| Total Fat | 36g |
| Saturated Fat | 5.7g |
| Salt | 1.1mg |
| Carbohydrates | 2.5g |
| Fibre | 0.6g |
| Protein | 4.1g |
FEATURED IN RECIPE
There is nothing like having a delicious, simple pesto recipe on hand to elevate the dishes you create in your kitchen. This versatile Effortless Summer Pesto recipe goes perfectly with ZENB Pasta or to be used as a dip, spread, or dressing on any of your at-home meals.
INGREDIENTS
- 85g lightly toasted pine nuts, walnuts, almonds, pecans, pistachios, sunflower kernels, sesame seeds or pepitas
- 4 cloves garlic
- 161g loosely packed basil leaves, Italian parsley, cilantro, baby kale or spinach, arugula, chives or green onions
- 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
- 4 ice cubes
- 250ml extra virgin olive oil
- 83g grated Pamigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, aged manchego or Grana Padano cheese
INSTRUCTIONS
1.Place nuts and garlic in the work bowl of a food processor or blender jar. Pulse for 5 sec. or until coarsely chopped.
2.Add basil, salt and ice. Process for 10-15 sec., until mixture forms a coarse paste. Scrape down sides of work bowl. Continue to process 15-30 sec., while slowly drizzling oil through the feed tube until mixture comes together. Add cheese; pulse just until combined.
Tasty Tips
Though basil-pine nut pesto is traditional, this recipe provides flexible mix & match options for the nuts, herbs and cheese. Try one of the substitutes for all or part of the total amount for a more complex flavor.
The ice cubes help to keep the pesto a vibrant green by cooling down the heat created by the blades of the food processor or blender. Heat will often darken or discolor green herbs.
Refrigerate leftover pesto for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 6 months in a tightly sealed container to enjoy summer flavors all year round.
Pesto is not only great on pasta, but fantastic as a dip, sandwich spread, base for a salad dressing and a perfect tossed with raw vegetables before roasting.