This Easy Homemade Southern Basil Pesto recipe takes the traditional basil pesto recipe, which originated in the 16th century in Genoa, Italy, and updates it with a Southern twist; pecans instead of pine nuts.
Rinse and drain the basil leaves. Discard any woody stems.
Add the basil leaves, salt, lemon juice, toasted pecans or pine nuts, garlic, and parmesan cheese to a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse until everything is finely chopped up.
With the food processor running, slowly add the olive oil until the mixture makes a loose paste.
Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to three days, or store in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Notes
Use small plastic snack bags to freeze your basil pesto. Carefully squeeze out all of the air before sealing and store in the freezer.The biggest enemy of bright green fresh basil pesto is air. Be sure to store it in an air-tight container to keep air from browning the basil. Also, I usually add just a touch of olive oil to the top of the pesto to keep the air from getting to the basil mixture.Use your salad spinner to rinse and drain the basil before processing in the food processor.To toast pecans, spread them evenly on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for about 10 minutes in a 350 degrees oven. To toast pine nuts, place them in a small skillet and cook over medium heat stirring constantly for about 2-4 minutes.Nutritional Information is for 1 cup of pesto[nutrition-label]