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What is fresher than pesto?! At the height of the summer, basil is growing quicker than I can harvest. Who else has this problem?
My favorite way to preserve it: make freezer pesto. For years, I’ve been using all my extra basil and other herbs to make pesto and then freeze it. During the winter, when I’m feeling the need for something fresh, I get a jar out and it tastes like it’s fresh out of the garden!
Watch how to make basil pesto:
How to Make Basil Pesto
Filled with super simple, yet fresh ingredients, basil pesto is so incredibly easy to make. Pine nuts, basil leaves, lemon juice, and Parmesan all come together to form a delicious spread that can be used for so many things!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups basil leaves picked off stems and loosely packed
- 6 garlic scapes (optional)
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ cup toasted pine nuts
- ¼ cup toasted walnuts
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper (optional)
- ⅓ – ¾ cup olive oil
Instructions
- In a food processor, combine all of the ingredients except for the olive oil. Pulse eight times to combine and break down the pesto.
- With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil until it reaches the desired consistency.
- To preserve, divide into jars. Pour a layer of olive over the top of the pesto. Cover to make airtight and store in the freezer. This keeps for up to one year in the freezer and three weeks in the refrigerator.
I noticed you said you put it in jars is that a glass jar and will it break I would think
Hello! You can actually freeze liquid in straight sided jars. Just make sure to leave enought room at the top to allow the liquid or pesto to expand as it freezes!