Italian · sauce
Pesto alla Genovese
Video by Giallozafferano recipes on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Keto (1.1 g net carbs a serve)
- Vegetarian with a vegetarian hard cheese instead of the parmigiano Reggiano and pecorino sardo (traditionally made with animal rennet)
- Gluten-free ingredients
Contains: Milk, Tree nuts. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
Basil, pine nuts, olive oil and aged cheese with no cream: 2 tbsp give about 150 kcal, mostly from olive-oil and pine-nut fat, about 1 g of net carbs and a third of a day's vitamin K from the basil.
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Ingredients 7
Method
Tap a time to watch that step in the video.
- Pick the basil leaves, wash them and dry them well, handling them gently so they don't bruise and darken. 0:10
- Pound the garlic in a mortar (or pulse in a blender) until creamy, then add the pine nuts and work them into a paste. 1:28
- Add the basil and the coarse salt. Pound with short strokes, then grind with a circular motion against the sides, until the leaves break down into a bright green paste. 2:14
- Stir in the grated Parmigiano and pecorino, then the olive oil, and give it a final grind until smooth and creamy. 3:11
- Serve straight away, tossed through pasta or spooned over vegetables, fish or eggs.
Tip. Makes about 1 cup (8 portions of 2 tbsp). Pecorino romano can stand in for Fiore Sardo. Parmigiano uses animal rennet; swap a vegetarian hard cheese if needed. Keeps 2–3 days in the fridge under a film of oil.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One portion (2 tbsp) gives you 1 of 8
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 3%
- Protein 12%
- Fat 85%
Fits keto: 1.1 g net carbs a serve, with 85% of the energy from fat.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Vitamin K High36%
44 µg a serve, mostly from genovese basil leaves (83%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Vitamin E Source11%
1.7 mg a serve, mostly from virgin olive oil (74%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Calcium Source10%
127 mg a serve, mostly from parmigiano Reggiano (55%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Show the other 12
Omega-37%
0.1 g a serve, mostly from virgin olive oil (57%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Zinc6%
0.6 mg a serve, mostly from pine nuts (38%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Magnesium5%
20 mg a serve, mostly from pine nuts (47%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Vitamin B125%
0.1 µg a serve, mostly from parmigiano Reggiano (68%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Iron4%
0.6 mg a serve, mostly from genovese basil leaves (44%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Vitamin A4%
40 µg a serve, mostly from genovese basil leaves (58%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Selenium4%
2.1 µg a serve, mostly from parmigiano Reggiano (67%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Vitamin C2%
1.8 mg a serve, mostly from genovese basil leaves (86%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Folate2%
7.9 µg a serve, mostly from genovese basil leaves (75%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Vitamin B62%
0 mg a serve, mostly from genovese basil leaves (40%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Potassium1%
60 mg a serve, mostly from genovese basil leaves (41%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Vitamin D0%
0.1 µg a serve, mostly from parmigiano Reggiano (62%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by Giallozafferano recipes; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.