The Key To Keeping Pesto Green For So Much Longer

Pesto is a delicious cheesy paste that originates from Italy and happens to be my favorite way to use fresh basil from the garden. Pesto is such a versatile sauce that entire cookbooks are dedicated to it. You would be hard-pressed to find another paste that can be used as a marinade, a pasta sauce, and a salad dressing. Last spring, I decided to experiment with planting purple basil along with green. It made a beautifully purple pesto that we couldn't get enough of. 

If you've ever planted basil, you know it is the gift that keeps giving. It's impossible to use it all as quickly as it replenishes itself, which means there is usually plenty of creamy, cheesy pesto to go around. The only problem with basil pesto, especially when you make it in bulk, is that it starts to lose its pleasant green color after a short time. A simple way to keep your basil from turning brown is by chilling it with an ice cube. To recreate this hack while making pesto, blend an ice cube with the basil, garlic, pine nuts, oil, and parmesan in your food processor. The coldness from the ice cube shocks the basil and slows the oxidation process.

Oxidation is primarily responsible for foods turning brown and will also cause them to lose their nutritional value over time. The process occurs over time when foods are exposed to the air. This is why store-bought pesto in sealed jars will last longer and stayer greener than fresh, homemade pesto stored in a non-airtight container. However, as soon as you open a jar of pesto, the oxidation process begins. Open containers will need to be used or discarded usually within a week.

Storing your homemade pesto in an airtight tub in the refrigerator does help to slow down oxidation. However, freezing cubes of pesto in an ice tray in your freezer is the best solution for long-term storage. The cubes are handy for seasoning smaller portioned meals, and you can even freeze just the basil and olive oil base first, then add the cheese and nuts when you thaw it to get the right texture. Whether you're making your pesto fresh for the night's meal or preserving it for later, adding an ice cube to the mixing process will ensure that your batch stays greener for longer.