Classic pesto is made with fresh basil, Parmesan cheese, walnuts, olive oil, lemon, garlic, and salt.
Pesto is the traditional pasta sauce. Pesto is also a flavorful addition to grilled vegetables, grilled chicken, salads, sliced tomatoes, pizza, bean and vegetable soup, and as a vegetable dip.
Pesto—which is essentially a pureed herbal mixture—can also be made with cilantro or tarragon.
For a less oily pesto, substitute orange juice for the olive oil.
This recipe will make about 1½ cups.
Ingredients for Basil Pesto
1 cup loosely packed basil
1 or 2 small garlic cloves, peeled
⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese or shredded romano cheese
3 tablespoons walnuts or pine nuts lightly roasted
½ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons, extra-virgin olive oil
A squeeze or two of lemon juice
Directions to Make Classic Basil Pesto
Peel and slice the garlic and put it in a large mortar. (The garlic should flavor the pesto not overwhelm the basil.) Add a pinch of salt and nuts and pound the mixture to paste.
Add the basil leaves to the garlic and nuts and continue pounding and grinding the leaves until the mixture is smooth.
Add the cheese and continue pounding as you gradually add the oil. Add more oil or less oil depending on the thickness desired. Alternatively, you can whirl all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
Stephen Albert is a horticulturist, master gardener, and certified nurseryman who has taught at the University of California for more than 25 years. He holds graduate degrees from the University of California and the University of Iowa. His books include Vegetable Garden Grower’s Guide, Vegetable Garden Almanac & Planner, Tomato Grower’s Answer Book, and Kitchen Garden Grower’s Guide. His Vegetable Garden Grower’s Masterclass is available online. Harvesttotable.com has more than 10 million visitors each year.
Vegetable and rice noodle soup is both light and hearty. Vary the stock—beef, chicken, or vegetable for degrees of intensity and complexity of flavor—and vary the vegetables with the season—root and cabbage family vegetables in the cool time of the year, leafy vegetables and summer squashes in the warm time of the year. I use…
Rutabaga is tasty served mashed with butter, cream, and spices. Sauté rutabaga in butter with apples and brown sugar, or dice and add rutabaga to vegetable soups and stews. Rutabaga harvest comes from late summer to early spring. How to choose rutabaga How to store rutabaga Kitchen Helpers from Amazon: How to prep rutabaga for…
Mâche–also called corn salad and lamb’s lettuce–is a mild-flavored salad green. Mâche (say ‘mah-sh’) can also be steamed and served as a vegetable. Mâche has a sweet, slightly nutty taste. Its flavor is so subtle that it can easily be overpowered by other leafy vegetables or dressings. It is often served alone or as a counterpoint…
Summer or tender squash can be sautéed, steamed, boiled, baked, grilled, microwaved, or eaten raw. Use raw tender squash as an addition to crudités trays and salads The tender summer squashes–zucchini, Costata Romanesca, round and globe, scallop or pattypan, yellow crookneck, and yellow straightneck, and Zephyr–mature during the summer and can be claimed as baby…
Cooking with pumpkins is one of my favorite fall traditions, and over the years, I’ve learned there’s so much more to it than just pie! Homegrown or farmers’ market pumpkins—especially varieties like ‘Sugar Pie’ or ‘Winter Luxury’—are naturally sweeter and creamier than the giant carving types. After harvesting my own pumpkins each October, I like…
Bitter melon can be eaten raw when thinly sliced raw but it’s commonly cooked. Bitter melon can be stir-fried, parboiled, or stuffed. The bitter melon picked at maturity will be bitter. The younger, thinner, shorter, and bright green bitter melon will be less bitter tasting. The bitter melon harvest season runs from mid-spring through late…
Gardening Tips in your Inbox!
Subscribe today to get our weekly recipe newsletter! You don’t want to miss out!
