Preserving Sweet Basil Pesto

We have had a wonderful Basil harvest this year and I just couldn't let all that fabulous basil go to waste. We always dry some of our basil to use in recipes, and usually have pesto on hand. This year I decided to freeze some of my sweet basil pesto. This is a delicious recipe that I have used for years to make my pesto and I use the pesto in many of my Italian recipes. This recipe is so easy to make and uses just a few ingredients. I place it in 1/2 cup containers, which is perfect for most recipes. This can be used for up to 6 months after freezing.

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How To Make Sweet Basil Pesto and Freeze It

We have had a herb garden here at the cottage for a very long time, then I grow some of my favorite herbs that I use a lot in a small raised kitchen garden. The harvest today comes from our larger herb garden. You might enjoy our series From The Garden Gate, What About All Those Herbs: Part One, How About All Those Herbs: Part Two, What About All Those Herbs: Part Three.

I make this recipe in small batches, I have tried it in larger batches and it doesn't turn out as good. One batch fits perfect in my little mini food processor, which I love! I just load the basil, garlic, pine nuts and other seasons and soon we have Sweet Basil Pesto!

Put the top on and start streaming olive oil and it does the magic! I chop it until its fine, then I puree it until it reaches the consistency that I want.

A perfect consistency for my pesto.

Pour into a 1/2 cup container. Place into the refrigerator until cold, 

then freeze up to 6 months. The recipe makes 2-1/2 cups.

The Recipe

Yield: 2-1/2 cups

Author: Miz Helen's Kitchen

Preserving Sweet Basil Pesto

We preserve this delicious sweet basil pesto in the freezer for up to 6 months. This recipe is very flavorful and a great addition to Italian recipes.

Ingredients

Recipe Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh sweet basil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup Pecorino & Parmesan Cheese, grated

Instructions

To Prepare The Pesto

1. Place the garlic, basil, and pine nuts into a food processor.
2. Chop until it is all chopped, then begin to pulse as you stream the olive oil into the mix.
3. After the olive oil has been added and the pesto is thick, add the cheese and pulse a couple of times to make sure it is mixed.
4. Salt and pepper the mix.
5. Add the pesto into clean 1/2 cup containers.
6. Refrigerate until cold, then freeze for up to 6 months. 

I had enough sweet basil from my harvest to make 15 2-1/2 cup servings. 3 stems of basil sells for $3.25 in the super market, and 1 small jar sells for $3.75. My seeds cost me less than $3.00. This is the 3rd time this summer that I have harvested the sweet basil. Just look at the money I have saved for this delicious product. 

Thanks so much for stopping by the garden gate for a tour of our herb garden and helping us out in the kitchen making this delicious Sweet Basil Pesto. We will be enjoying our pesto in Italian recipes all winter. Hope you have a great week and come back to see us real soon!

Peace and Joy

Miz Helen

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