50 Garlic Clove Basil Pesto
If you want to upgrade your homemade pesto, start by roasting 3 heads of garlic to bring out its sweetness. The roasted garlic is blended with pine nuts, fresh basil, cheese, lemon juice, and olive oil to create a rich and flavorful pesto. Perfect for tossing with hot pasta or using as a versatile sauce, this pesto can be enjoyed immediately or stored for later use.
Tasty Team
Total Time
1 hr
1 hr
Prep Time
10 minutes
10 min
Cook Time
40 minutes
40 min
Total Time
1 hr
1 hr
Prep Time
10 minutes
10 min
Cook Time
40 minutes
40 min
Ingredients
for 4 servings
- 3 heads of garlic
- ¾ cup pine nuts, toasted
- 5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- 2 cups grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil, +1 tablespoon, divided
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- 2 teaspoons salt
Nutrition Info
- Calories 417
- Fat 35g
- Carbs 13g
- Fiber 1g
- Sugar 0g
- Protein 16g
Estimated values based on one serving size.
Preparation
- Roast the Garlic: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Peel off the papery outer layers of the garlic bulb, leaving the cloves intact. Trim about ¼ to ½ inch off the top of the cloves.
- Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the garlic bulb and wrap it tightly in foil.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, or until the cloves are lightly browned and soft when pressed.
- Once roasted, allow the garlic to cool slightly. Squeeze the cloves out of their skins into a food processor.
- Prepare the Pesto: Add the pine nuts to the food processor with the roasted garlic cloves. Pulse a few times until the pine nuts are finely ground.
- Add the basil, cheese, lemon juice, grated garlic and salt to the food processor. Pulse a few more times to chop and mix the ingredients.
- With the food processor running on low, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto reaches your desired consistency.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Enjoy immediately tossed with hot pasta, or allow it to cool completely and transfer to an airtight container.
- To store, top the pesto with a thin layer of olive oil to prevent browning.
- It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Enjoy!
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