Prep basil and peas: Start by washing fresh basil leaves under running water or submerging them in a bowl of water and shaking them to remove any dirt. Use a salad spinner to dry leaves or lay them flat on a plate or kitchen towel to dry. Then prep the peas by either removing them from their pod if they’re fresh, or thawing them in the microwave for 30-60 seconds if they’re frozen.
2 cups fresh, ⅔ cup peas
Blend ingredients: Toss the cleaned and dried basil in a food processor with the peas. Next, add nuts or seeds and garlic cloves. Pulse until finely chopped, slowly drizzling in olive oil until the chopped ingredients are well coated in oil but still chunky.
⅓ cup pine nuts, 2 cloves garlic, ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Add seasonings to finish: Finish by adding in the nutritional yeast, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Give the pesto a taste and add more seasonings until it's flavored to your liking.
⅓ cup nutritional yeast, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Notes
Tools needed: food processor or blender, knife set, cutting board, salad spinnerPrep ahead: Make this simple pesto up to 2-3 days before serving, or freeze until ready to use.Leftovers and storage: Leftover pesto should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days, and in the freezer for up to 2 months (possibly longer).Nutrition notes: This recipe was made as written (with nutritional yeast and pine nuts). Using other nuts, seeds, cheese, or cheeses will change the nutrition information of this recipe.