Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Wash your basil leaves gently and dry them thoroughly using a salad spinner or clean kitchen towels. Wet basil dilutes the pesto and can make it taste slightly bitter.
- Optional but recommended: Place walnuts in a dry skillet over medium low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently until fragrant. Allow to cool before proceeding.
- Add the cooled walnuts and peeled garlic cloves to your food processor. Pulse 8 to 10 times until roughly chopped but not powdered, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Pack the basil leaves into the food processor on top of the nut mixture. Pulse another 10 to 15 times until the basil is finely chopped and evenly distributed throughout.
- Sprinkle the freshly grated Parmesan over the basil mixture. Pulse 5 to 6 times to incorporate the cheese without overprocessing, which can make the pesto gummy.
- With the food processor running on low speed, slowly drizzle the olive oil through the feed tube. This gradual addition creates a smooth, emulsified sauce.
- Add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper to the pesto. Pulse a few more times to combine, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Check the consistency. Your pesto should be smooth but still have some texture. If it seems too thick, add another tablespoon of olive oil or a splash of pasta water when tossing with hot noodles.
Notes
For the brightest green color that lasts, blanch your basil in boiling water for 5 seconds, then immediately plunge it into ice water before drying and processing. Store in an airtight container with a thin layer of olive oil on top for 5-7 days refrigerated, or freeze in ice cube trays for up to 6 months.