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How to Preserve Basil to Enjoy All Year Long

Purple or green, spicy or sweet, I always find room for just one more basil plant when I’m transplanting seedlings in the spring… but come summer, what does one do with a lifetime supply of fresh basil?

Even after all the pesto, paninis, and pizza margheritas that I typically throw a handful of leaves into, I’m still left with a basketful of basil and a need to clear some space for fall.

So, I make basil puree. It’s essentially pesto without the cheese, nuts, and garlic.

Ingredients

3 cups packed basil leaves 1/4 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and pulse until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary.

Store and freeze the basil puree based on your needs:

– Pour it into a freeze-proof container. – Pour it into a small freezer bag, seal, and flatten for easier stacking. – Portion into an ice cube tray for smaller servings that you can pop out individually.

Before using, thaw the frozen basil puree at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

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