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Basil Cream Sauce

Basil Cream Sauce marries the nutty depth of pine nuts and Parmesan with fresh basil and a touch of garlic, resulting in a silky, herb-forward sauce with gentle richness. It’s delicately green, velvety on the palate, and perfect for tossing with pasta or spooning over salmon or chicken for weeknight dinners or casual entertaining.

  • Prep15 mins
  • Cook10 mins
  • Serves6
  • DifficultyEasy
Basil Cream Sauce
  1. 1

    Assemble all the ingredients.

  2. 2

    Place the basil and the garlic in a food processor and combine them.

  3. 3

    With the processor running, slowly pour in the oil until the mixture starts to emulsify, about 40 seconds; add the Parmesan, pine nuts, salt, and pepper, and blend for 1 minute.

  4. 4

    In a saucepan over low heat, bring the cream to a simmer.

  5. 5

    Pour 1/2 of the hot cream into the food processor and pulse for 20 seconds until it is incorporated with the basil mixture.

  6. 6

    Return the basil-cream mixture to the saucepan, stir together with the cream until well combined, then simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes.