Edwina Clark - Registered Dietitian and Wellness Expert

5-Minute Blender Basil Pesto

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Add a dollop of flavor to any meal with this easy basil pesto recipe. Made with a combination of fresh basil, parmesan, garlic, olive oil, this simple yet versatile recipe can be turned into a sandwich condiment, pasta sauce, dressing and more.

Basil pesto in a small white bowl, on a white towel and a blue background.
This 5-ingredient basil pesto is made in the blender and adds flavor to any meal.

Pesto is one of my favorite things. I love it’s bright green hue; it’s big, bold flavor; and the smell of fresh garlic and basil wafting through the kitchen. I love that you can splatter it on sandwiches and pizzas, use it as a pasta sauce, or turn it into a dressing. It’s so simple yet it imparts so much flavor and punch.

Most of the store-bought varieties don’t even come close to the real deal. They lack the flavor and aroma of fresh pesto and are loaded with cheap oils and fillers like potato. So last Sunday I stocked up on basil and had a pesto-making frenzy.

I often react to nuts, as well as gluten, so I left the pine nuts out and made an allergy-friendly version instead. Aside from the obvious flavor perks, pesto also offers heart-healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats, vitamin E, vitamin K, and a variety of anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals. 

6 Ways To Use Basil Pesto

Made too much pesto? (A good problem to have if you ask me). I pour my leftover pesto into an empty ice cube tray and pop a couple of cubes out every time I want a quick pasta dish. But the applications don’t stop there. There are so many ways to use basil pesto…

  1. Smear it onto a sandwich
  2. Toss it through cooked pasta
  3. Use it as a marinade for poultry, seafood or tofu
  4. Mix it with low-fat yogurt to create a creamy dip
  5. Mix it with kefir for a creamy pesto dressing
  6. Use it as an alternative to tomato sauce on pizzas.
Basil pesto in a white bowl on a blue background, surrounded by basil and tomatoes.
This nut-free basil pesto is incredibly versatile and can be added to sandwiches, pasta, and salads.
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Nut-Free Blender Pesto

5 from 1 review
  • Prep Time: 0 hours
  • Cook Time: 0 hours
  • Total Time: 0 hours
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: sauce, pasta, dressing, dip, easy, quick, blender
  • Cuisine: Italian
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Description

Add a dollop of flavor to any meal with this easy basil pesto recipe. Made with a combination of fresh basil, parmesan, garlic, olive oil, this simple, versatile recipe can be turned into a sandwich condiment, marinade, pasta sauce and more.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Crush and finely chop the garlic.
  2. Grate the parmesan.
  3. Toss all of the ingredients into a high-powered blender or food processor. Blend on high until smooth.
  4. Use within 3 days or pour it into an ice-cube and freeze for later.

Notes

If you want to add pine nuts you can. Toast two tablespoons of pine nuts in a pan over medium heat until golden, and throw them into the blender with the other ingredients.

Craving more? Check out more mouthwatering recipes here.