Go Back
–+ servings
A bowl of creamy pesto sauce garnished with fresh basil leaves and pine nuts, next to a small bowl of pine nuts, on a light marble surface.
Print Recipe

Creamy Pesto Sauce

A vibrant basil pesto made richer with a splash of cream, perfect for coating pasta, spooning over vegetables, or spreading on warm bread.
Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: comfort food, date night, dinner party, easy, quick
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Marissa Stevens

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 ounces fresh basil leaves no stems, about 2 cups
  • 2 large cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts toasted if desired, about 35grams
  • 2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese about ½ cup
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt plus more to taste
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream

Instructions

  • In a food processor, combine the basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan, and a pinch of salt. Pulse until everything is finely minced, stopping once or twice to scrape down the bowl. With the machine running, pour the olive oil through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream and blend until the mixture turns creamy.
  • Spoon the pesto into a medium bowl, fold in the heavy cream, then taste and add a little more salt if needed. Serve as desired.

Video

Notes

  1. If you're not using the pesto right away, transfer it to a bowl and refrigerate. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly against the surface to help keep its bright green color.
  2. One batch makes roughly 1 ½ cups pesto—about 12 fluid ounces.

Nutrition

Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 274mg | Potassium: 71mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 562IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 1mg

QR code

Scan this QR code with your phone's camera to view this recipe on your mobile device.

qr code