Pasta is a staple in our household. It’s something I know everyone will eat, which makes dinner a breeze. I personally am not a fan of plain pasta like my kids are though! For that reason, I like to play around with sauces.

I enjoy pesto, but am always floored by the price of pine nuts! My go to alternative is sunflower seeds. They are significantly cheaper, and easier to get.

Making your own pesto is so much easier and tastier than store bought stuff. Not to mention, you don’t really need to measure, just taste as you go! Here are the proportions that I tend to use.

Homemade Pesto

25 g of basil

2-4 tbsp olive oil

2 inch cube of fresh parmigiana

2-3 tbsp lemon juice

2-4 tbsp sunflower seeds

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender, and blend until a paste is formed.

Taste and adjust flavours to your liking.

This will make enough pesto for two to four servings of pasta. Also delicious on toast!

If you want to stretch the amount of pesto a bit further, add in a handful of baby spinach!

If you give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know what you think, and thanks for stopping by!