Pesto that is. I love having a garden in my back yard full of veggies and herbs. We seem to always have an abundance of basil, so I decided to make some pesto. It is SO easy and even easier when it's dairy free. I will give you my original recipe for pesto and also the dairy free version. I always can the pesto in the summer and freeze it so we can use it all winter long.
Pesto can be used in SO many ways! I use it for pasta, as a dipping sauce for bread, as a sauce for baked chicken, but really the possibilities are endless. Today I am just going to show you how to prepare the pesto and later on will show you all of the yummy things you can make with your pesto!
If you don't have a garden, no worries. You can use fresh basil from the grocery, you will just need to buy a few packages.
If you are using basil from your garden and have some stems with flowers, they are fine to use! In fact, they have a stronger flavor than the leaves.
Also, make sure you wash EACH leaf from your garden! There are many bugs that like to hang around basil and we don't want them in your pesto!!
This recipe makes one pint of pesto, the amount you would use per pound of pasta. If you are a pesto lover like my family, we use just under a pound of pasta so we have a little more pesto than pasta.
Deliciously Easy Dairy Free Pesto
Ingredients:
4 Cups fresh basil
3 T toasted pine nuts
4 cloves garlic, smashed
3 T Buttery Spread, softened (I used Earth Balance)
1 1/2 t salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
First and foremost, if you plan to make several batches and freeze the pesto, make sure you sterilize the glass jars before you fill them with pesto. I find the easiest way is to run them through the dishwasher.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Lay out your pine nuts on a parchment covered cookie sheet.
Toast in the oven for 7 minutes or until lightly browned. DO NO OVER TOAST! If the pine nuts burn, start over. If you use the burnt pine nuts, it will ruin the taste of the pesto.
Smash 4 cloves of garlic with the back of your knife.
Time to get out your food processor or blender because this is why this recipe is SUPER easy!
Add the 4 cups of basil to the food processor
Then add in the pine nuts.
Then add the buttery spread, garlic, salt and olive oil.
Pulse until smooth.
If you plan on using the pesto right away, you may now enjoy!
If you are going to freeze for the winter, simply pour the pesto into your sterilized pint sized canning jar.
I do make some pesto that has cheese in it for my husband. He just loves it and I don't think he shouldn't be punished because I am allergic to dairy. The pesto is made the same way as above, I just tweak the ingredients.
Pesto with Dairy Ingredients:
2 C fresh basil
2 T pine nuts
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 c fresh grated Parmesan
3 T fresh grated Romano Pecorino
1/2 c olive oil
3 T Butter, softened
Go ahead and freeze the pesto right away and you can enjoy it for months ahead. The pesto will be fine in the freezer for several years... if it lasts that long (no way in my house!)
Thanks Y'all!
-Wise Wife
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