Basil Pesto Spread Recipes

BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Combine basil, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and olive oil in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add garlic, pine nuts, salt, and pepper. Pulse until mixture becomes smooth and blended.
• Pour mixture onto a large sheet of plastic wrap; roll into a tube shape and seal. Store in the refrigerator until needed.

PESTO RECIPE

Steps:

• Add the basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil and salt to a food processor.
• Process everything until smooth, stopping as necessary to scrape down the sides of the bowl, about 1 minute. Stir in the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper to taste.

PESTO WITH WALNUTS

Steps:

• Remove basil leaves from the stems. Shock the leaves in a bowl of ice water and remove immediately to paper towels to dry. (May also use a salad spinner to remove water.)
• Place walnuts and garlic cloves in a food processor and pulse until chopped. Add basil leaves and pulse until chopped to desired consistency.
• Pour olive oil into the food processor chute while on low to combine with the basil mixture. Add more olive oil if you desire.
• Remove to a bowl and add salt, lemon zest, and Parmesan cheese. Stir until combined.
• Serve immediately on toasted baguette. May store pesto in refrigerator for 2-3 days in a sealed jar. To save for later, cover pesto with a layer of olive oil and refrigerate.

BASIL PESTO BREAD

Steps:

• In a blender or food processor, puree the basil leaves, olive oil and garlic. Mix in the pine nuts and Parmesan cheese. Continue processing until desired consistency is reached.
• Preheat the broiler.
• Slice Italian bread to desired thickness. Spread a layer of pesto on each slice. Top with roma (plum) tomatoes and mozzarella cheese.
• Place topped bread slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Broil 5 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.

BASIL PESTO BREAD ROUNDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven on broiler setting. Arrange bread slices in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Place under broiler for 5 to 8 minutes, or until lightly toasted on one side. Watch carefully to ensure they don't burn. Remove from oven, and flip bread slices so that the toasted side is on the bottom.
• Set the oven temperature for 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, pesto, garlic, Parmesan and salt. Spread evenly over untoasted sides of bread slices.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes. Set the oven to broil, and place the rounds under the broiler just until they begin to bubble and turn golden. Let cool slightly before serving.

PESTO CREAM CHEESE SPREAD

Steps:

• Line a 5-3/4x3x2-in. loaf pan with plastic wrap. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese and garlic powder until blended; set aside. In another small bowl, combine the Parmesan cheese, butter, parsley, garlic, basil and marjoram until blended. Stir in walnuts. Gradually stir in oil., Spread about 1/4 cup cream cheese mixture in prepared pan. Carefully spread with a third of the Parmesan mixture. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining cream cheese mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 5 hours. Unmold; serve with crackers.

BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine the pine nuts, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper and pulse until well chopped.
• Add the basil and pulse until combined.
• With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil and pulse until combined. Add the Parmesan cheese, if using, and pulse to briefly combine. For a smoother pesto, add more olive oil.

WARM BASIL PESTO SPREAD

Steps:

• Heat grill to medium heat.
• Place unwrapped Neufchatel on 8-inch square sheet of heavy-duty foil; top with next 3 ingredients. Place foil on grill grate; cover with lid.
• Grill 8 to 10 min. or until shredded cheese is melted and Neufchatel is softened, but still holding its shape.
• Transfer foil to platter. Serve cheese spread with crackers.

BASIL PESTO SUNSHINE SANDWICH

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise and basil pesto; spread onto one half of bread. Spread other half with sun-dried tomato pesto. Arrange roasted red peppers on bottom piece. Cover with feta cheese, then fresh basil. Top with remaining slice of bread.

CHEESE AND PESTO SPREAD

Steps:

• Blend basil leaves, pine nuts, and garlic together in a blender until evenly chopped. Add Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, and olive oil; blend until smooth.
• Beat cream cheese and Brie cheese together in a bowl until nearly smooth.
• Beat cream in a glass or metal bowl until soft peaks form. Lift your beater or whisk straight up: the whipped cream will form soft mounds rather than a sharp peak. Fold whipped cream into cheese mixture.
• Line a 3 1/2-cup mold with plastic wrap. Spread 1/4 the cheese mixture into the mold; top with 1/3 the basil pesto. Repeat layering 2 more times, ending with cheese mixture. Refrigerate until set, 6 to 24 hours. Turn mold onto a plate and remove plastic wrap.

FREEZE IT: BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Spread nuts evenly on a rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven until golden and fragrant, tossing once, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, bring 4 cups salted water to a boil; add basil, and submerge with a spoon. Immediately drain in a colander. Rinse with cold water until cool, then pat basil completely dry in paper towels.
• In a food processor, combine nuts, basil, and garlic; season generously with salt and pepper. Process until nuts are finely chopped. With machine running, pour oil in a steady stream through the feed tube; process until smooth. Use immediately, or freeze. To freeze, spoon pesto into an ice-cube tray (2 tablespoons per cube); cover with plastic wrap. Freeze overnight, then transfer cubes to a resealable plastic bag; keep up to 6 months. Defrost pesto at room temperature, about 20 minutes (or at 30-second intervals in the microwave). Mash with a fork before using in recipes.

BASIL PESTO RECIPE

Steps:

• Add all the ingredients except parmesan to a food processor or high-powered blender. Blend on high until it's very smooth.
• Add the parmesan and blend it again until it's smooth.

BASIL PESTO SPREAD

Steps:

• Pulse the basil, cheese, nuts and salt briefly in food processor until basil volume is reduced to a medium coarseness. Add oil in slow stream through cover pour hole, and process until well incorporated. Taste and adjust salt as needed; add an additional tablespoon of oil if needed for texture and spreading quality. Serve with crackers or crusty bread as a spread, or use on cooked pasta. Yield: About 1 1/2 cups (24 tablespoons)