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Basil Pesto with Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Πέστο · Say it: PEH-stoh
Basil, pine nuts, garlic and olive oil, with the parmesan stirred in by hand for a coarser texture.
By The Pomoni Kitchen · Jump to recipe ·
Lovely on pasta, in sandwiches or on grilled chicken. We stir the parmesan in by hand at the end, because we like the coarser texture it gives.
Method
- Add the pine nuts, garlic and salt to a blender and blend briefly.
- Add the basil leaves and blend until a thick paste forms. Stop and push down anything stuck to the sides, then blend again.
- With the blender running, gradually add the olive oil until the pesto is smooth.
- Pour the sauce into a bowl, add the parmesan and pepper, and mix with a spoon.
Kitchen notes
Prefer a smoother pesto? Add the parmesan to the blender with the nuts and garlic instead of stirring it in at the end.
To store, spoon it into a glass jar, cover with about half an inch of olive oil, and keep it in the fridge for up to a week.
Try arugula and cashews instead of basil and pine nuts. Spinach works well too.
For a vegan pesto, use a vegan cheese or leave the cheese out. Traditional parmesan is made with animal rennet, so choose a vegetarian hard cheese if that matters to you.
From the kitchen
Say it in Greek
| Word | Greek | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olive oil | ελαιόλαδο | eh-leh-OH-lah-thoh | Olive oil |
Καλή όρεξη (Kali orexi, kah-LEE OH-reh-ksee): enjoy your meal.
The oil is the star here, and it’s used raw.
Early-harvest Koroneiki from a single grove in Messinia, Greece, measured at 635 mg/kg total polyphenols by HPLC (Modern Olives, July 2026). That peppery catch at the back of your throat is oleocanthal.
500ml · $75.00250ml · $49.00100ml · $29.00
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Basil Pesto with Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Πέστο · say it: PEH-stoh
Basil, pine nuts, garlic and olive oil, with the parmesan stirred in by hand for a coarser texture.
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, washed
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more to cover
- ½ cup grated parmesan (see notes for vegan and vegetarian options)
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- 2 cloves garlic
- A pinch of salt, and pepper to taste
Method
- Add the pine nuts, garlic and salt to a blender and blend briefly.
- Add the basil leaves and blend until a thick paste forms. Stop and push down anything stuck to the sides, then blend again.
- With the blender running, gradually add the olive oil until the pesto is smooth.
- Pour the sauce into a bowl, add the parmesan and pepper, and mix with a spoon.
Kitchen notes
Prefer a smoother pesto? Add the parmesan to the blender with the nuts and garlic instead of stirring it in at the end.
To store, spoon it into a glass jar, cover with about half an inch of olive oil, and keep it in the fridge for up to a week.
Try arugula and cashews instead of basil and pine nuts. Spinach works well too.
For a vegan pesto, use a vegan cheese or leave the cheese out. Traditional parmesan is made with animal rennet, so choose a vegetarian hard cheese if that matters to you.
Verified olive polyphenols - from a single Greek grove, proven batch by batch. Prove it, then sell it.
O-Liv LLC, doing business as Pomoni · Bettendorf, Iowa
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