Last updated on June 8th, 2024 at 09:25 am
This easy pesto sauce recipe is simple to make but it is the perfect one to go with pasta, bread or salads. A kid-friendly and approved recipe.
EASY PESTO SAUCE RECIPE
Do you have a quick and easy sauce recipe that could go with anything?
If you do please leave a word on the comment section below.
My daughter has one which is amazingly helpful.
This is the quickest and easiest sauce that blows us away every time.
A few afternoons a week Amon would make her own snack and supper even.
At term time she has school lunch and chooses her meal on the day.
Mummy would then ask what she had for lunch so that it will not be repeated at tea time.
No meal plans for dinner or supper. Whatever you call it as long as we understand each other.
That is the meal planning stage in the family when school is on.
Check what is available and think quickly decide what to make.
After a few days on the kitchen windowsill the pot of basil is still alive.
Soooo. Basil. Check
Pine nuts. None.
But cashew nuts. Check.
Olive oil. Check.
Cheese. Check.
Loads of tick on the list.
We are going to make pesto sauce!
The adult’s part would be to cook the pasta ten minutes or so before making the pesto sauce.
This is my daughter’s version and not an authentic Italian pesto recipe.
She leaves out the garlic, salt and pepper because she feels the cheese gives enough saltiness or seasoning to the sauce.
When you have time please give this recipe a go and tell us what you think.
She would love to know your comments and suggestions.
Homemade (easy) pesto sauce
Hey presto!
It is like magic to make pesto at home.
Nothing beats homemade they say.
With only a few ingredients to make and very little time to invest, it is worth making this from scratch.
There are pots available in the shops which we have tried but we always go back to making it ourselves.
It is satisfying for the maker, in this case a child.
And a treat for everyone when readily available.
What can I use instead of pine nuts in pesto?
Pine nuts traditionally is used in making this sauce but cashew, macadamia, pistachio and walnuts are all fine too.
Some people suggest sunflower seeds as well.
Can I eat pesto without nuts?
Beautyfoodblog has a wonderful recipe of nut-free pesto.
Plus it is vegan which is another bonus.
Fran has a big selection of recipes to choose from and a must try for us.
You might find something you fancy on her online cookbook.
What goes best with pesto?
For us it primarily goes with pasta and toast.
But it is great with fish, chicken or salads as well.
How to store leftover sauce
If there’s leftover sauce, store in a clean container.
Drizzle with olive oil on top and cover with the lid
And if there’s more sauce to keep for longer than a week, pour in ice cube trays, drizzle with olive oil and freeze.
How to make pesto sauce
As for how to make the sauce like an Italian, I give Vincenzo’s Plate‘s recipe a go and or adapt it according to what is available in the house.
Vincenzo is always fun to watch and shows viewers how to cook something delicious from beautiful produce.
Shall we have gnocchi instead of pasta tonight?
Oh no that’s for next time as we need to polish our gnocchi making skills.
On to the rich pesto sauce.
Ingredients
2T extra virgin olive oil
handful of basil
10g cashew nuts
2T cheese (parmesan)
Instructions
- Put the oil, basil and cashew nuts in a bowl if using a hand/immersion blender.
- Pulse several times until everything is blended or creamy but not very smooth. (This takes around 30 seconds).
- Season if needed.
- Serve with cooked pasta. Sprinkle cheese (loads) on top and mix.
We have a video over on Youtube which you might (hopefully) want to check out.
Amon made a recipe for one on the video but you get the idea when you watch it.
Have you tried Filipino-style spaghetti?
Hope you give it a try and a chance.
Share your easy pasta or sauce recipes with us.
We would like to try new recipes.
That’s it for now. Thank you!
Here are Amon’s tips:
- “I use an immersion blender and press the button a few times”.
- “Put all ingredients in the bowl to blend at the same time as I like it with bits of cashew and basil.”
- “I don’t like the taste of raw garlic yet but maybe one day I will add it to my sauce.”
- “This is an easy recipe but comes up with delicious pesto.”
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Let’s get cooking!
Easy Pesto Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- handful basil
- 10 grams cashew nuts
- 2 tbsp cheese
Instructions
- Put the oil, basil and cashew nuts in a bowl if using a hand or immersion blender.
- Pulse several times until everything is blended or creamy but not very smooth. (This takes around 30 seconds).
- Season if needed.
- Serve with cooked pasta. Sprinkle cheese (loads) on top and mix.
Video
Notes
- Wash and dry the basil properly.
- Pulse a few times until blended but not very smooth.
English
Made it without adding any cheese and it was as expected. I served it with pasta which was cooked in salted water so I did not need more salt. Thank you for the vegan friendly recipe.
Thank you very much for your comment and for trying our easy pesto recipe. I agree that sometimes salt could be added according to taste or how you feel.