Basil pesto is one of my all time favorite condiments!

It’s versatile, it’s sweet and has a wonderful fresh flavor. can be used on chicken, beef, in a pasta, in salads, stir frys, or even as a dip. But when it comes to buying pesto, there’s really no need to because this easy basil pesto recipe out ranks any pesto you’ll ever buy.

When I say easy, it really is. It’s got just 5 ingredients, that’s all it needs.

The idea is to let the basil shine. When you buy basil pesto from the store it contains all sorts of unnecessary ingredients. And it often contains low quality oil. We use olive oil, which has great benefits for diabetics.

Basil is also great for helping to reduce inflammation, it targets inflammatory molecules in the body and stops them in their tracks.

This wonderful culinary herbs also inhibits the oxidation of LDL cholesterol – this is good because oxidized LDL has more impact on the development of cardiovascular conditions.

It’s also packed with vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, and antioxidants.

And if you ever feel adventurous, why not try and plant some basil of your own?!

There’s a picture of some basil I grew in a pot. It loves pots so you don’t need a lot of space.

We had LOTS of basil growing and ate A LOT of pesto. 🙂 We also gave some away too, which always makes a nice treat.

This basil pesto recipe is dairy free, garlic free, and super easy to make. And it just so happens that everyone who has tried it loves it just as much as me.

I hope you enjoy it!

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Basil Pesto

Prep Time5

Cook Time2

Total Time7

Servings: serves

Calories: 506kcal

Carbs: 6g

Net Carbs: 4g

Ingredients

2.8 oz basil – it doesn’t matter just use a whole bunch – remove the leaves from stems, 2.8oz
5.2 oz pine nuts – if you only have a 100 g/ 3.5 oz pack just use that
1/2 cup olive oil – add a little more if you think it needs to be a bit smoother
1/2 tsp lemon juice
pinch salt

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Place everything in the blender and blend until smooth. You may have to stop it and scrape down the sides.
Place in a jar and leave for 1-2 days before use
Keeps in the fridge for a few weeks

Notes

When you first taste test the pesto you may think it tastes terribly bitter. It’s best to leave it for at least 24 hours before use to allow the sweetness of the pine nuts and basil to meld and settle. Next time you taste it, it should be sweet and ready for use.

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