Thai Basil Pesto
Thai Basil pesto is an easy way to add some delicious summery vibes to your favorite dishes. Whether you're looking for a zesty dip, or just want something tasty to put on top of grilled vegetables or pasta, Thai Basil pesto hits all the right notes.
Servings: 8 2 Tbps portions
Calories: 326kcal
Equipment
- Cuisinart Food Processor
Ingredients
- 4 cup Thai Basil fresh, often found in Asian Grocery Stores
- 1¼ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 1 cup walnuts
- 2 clove garlic grated
- 2 teaspoon lemon zest fresh zest
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice fresh juice
- ⅔ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha Optional
Instructions
- Wash the Thai basil and gently shake off excess water. Gently pat dry with some paper towels while removing the leaves from the stems.
- Roughly chop the walnuts, grate the Parmesan cheese, peel and grate the garlic cloves, zest the lemon, and then squeeze the lemon for juice.
- Lightly toast the chopped walnuts in a skillet on medium heat, then allow to cool.
- Place Thai basil, grated Parmesan cheese, toasted walnuts, grated garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice in the food processor.4 cup Thai Basil, 1¼ cup Parmesan cheese, 1 cup walnuts, 2 clove garlic, 2 teaspoon lemon zest, 3 tablespoon lemon juice
- Use the pulse function on your food processor until you get a uniform texture. Scrape the sides and pulse again for about 30 seconds so that all ingredients are incorporated evenly.
- Slowly add the olive oil while mixing on high to create a creamier texture, or until you reach your desired consistency.⅔ cup olive oil
- Taste and season with salt and pepper. If you want more spice add a small amount of Sriracha sauce and pulse for 10 seconds.½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon Sriracha
- Serve immediately on hot pasta, steaks, or as a dip.
Notes
- Use ice cube trays or freezer cubes to store excess pasta, and herbs. They are ready to use at a moments notice for soups, sauces, and dips.
- Chop the walnuts up kind of small so they get more toasting, which adds to the flavor.
- Season at the end of the processing.
- If you decide to use fresh spicy peppers, use nitrile gloves to handle, seed, and slice them. This will protect your eyes and lip from burning later.
- Substitute Pine Nuts for the Walnuts if you prefer.
- Freezes well for up to 3 months.
- Nutrition calculations are for 8 two ounce portions.
Nutrition
Serving: 30g | Calories: 326kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 433mg | Potassium: 140mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 773IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 177mg | Iron: 1mg
