Can I Make Pesto in the Food Processor? | Kenji's Cooking Show

[@ebmusicman84]

This is one of the reasons I love Kenji's stuff. He explains the differences but still understands that sometimes people don't have time to do it the "right" way. People that gatekeep how other people make and enjoy food are worse than useless. Thanks for being a voice of reason Kenji!

[@aaronwhite1786]

It's why he's always been one of my favorites. The science angle is something that initially drew me to cooking as someone who had only really worked in a fast food setting and never really needed to learn how to actually cook. But people like Kenji, and Alton Brown when I was younger were huge in making cooking and recipes from around the world really appealing and interesting to me, while also giving me a good foundation to know why I was doing things, not just telling me to do them and blindly follow along. I like that he always tells you about how something may not be the most authentic, but it's good. Or how you can do an alternative way, because not everyone has the same tools available.

[@roadweary5252]

Couldn’t agree more! Well said 👍

[@ebmusicman84]

@@Carloshache Congrats on being part of the problem.

[@bunhelsingslegacy3549]

Yeah, I won't be doing pesto anytime soon in a mortar, my shoulder's too crabby about anything more than a quick grind of something like rosemary. Machines may not make things better than handmade, but easier, and sometimes possible, when the body may want to but just can't...

[@rattank1527]

Agreed. I got about 15 pounds into making it the "right way" and said screw this and threw it in the food processor. I was using some half frozen macadamia nuts though 😅

[@zosoleary]

You should freeze your basil for like 15 minutes before putting in the food processor. This breaks down the cell walls which helps get the crushed basil flavor in a food processor

[@AForEh]

Sounds like you’re from Big Freezer

[@snozzmcberry2366]

That's genius. Thank you.

[@cd-zw2tt]

what an insanely good idea holy shit. might as well do this for any flavorful fresh veg going into a food processor too

[@AdlerDanEgoe]

This might work. Does it?

[@cdub42]

I feel like you'd prob want a little longer than 15 minutes, but the logic seems sound

[@zizzie4081]

We might consider adopting Kenji’s egalitarian approach to cooking and life. You do you. When I was younger I had a kid, owned my own business and was a doctor, so convenience made the comprise acceptable. Now I am retired and I love standing by the stove stirring polenta or risotto for 40 minutes, because I can tell the difference. Instead of criticizing those with different priorities, might we strive to be more like Kenji…

[@joaovitorjoaovitor]

As post-Michelin Marco would say, "Again, it's your choice"

[@cdub42]

You are after all the Communist Manifesto of exactly how to make your pesto!

[@ryankwan1934]

Well-said. When I was a bachelor, I had all sorts of time to do crazy stuff like slow fermenting dough, managing a sour dough starter, grinding coffee by hand, using a mortar and pestle, etc. Now with a family and a demanding job: Where's my food processor?

[@BanthaWorship]

What if, and hear me out, my food processor is Bad (read: old) and all of the blades are more like clubs, bludgeoning my ingredients rather than any sort of chopping?

[@teamtigershark4337]

nothing improved ingrediants like POUNDING them in a motor and pestle

[@ssatva]

lol That reminds me: so Indian cooking tech has a category of electric grinder that uses stone wheels in a stone bowl. They are a bit pricey for me, but I think I see the point now.

[@Kyrox2]

I usually quickly blitz my basil and oil in a food processor and add that to my mortar instead of the whole leaves. It removes 90% of the work from handmade pesto and tastes just as good.

[@Android480]

For some reason I’d rather put in the work with the mortar instead of washing my food processor. It’s slower, but I hate washing and drying that thing

[@PrinceKaladin]

I like it. It's a good mix between the two pathways and I think it would certainly be faster and easier than just using a mortar and pestle the entire way

[@roundysquares]

@@Android480 If you use an immersion blender in a tall and narrow beaker, the only clean up you'll have to do is to add some warm water with a drop of soap afterwards, run the blender in it for 5 seconds, and you're done

[@thatdudebro]

When i go to a Restaurant, I always ask for my shipping containers to be stomped on by a Kaijuu. Hold the hurricane, Garcon.

[@JordanSugarman]

I made pesto with a mortar and pestle for the first time a few weeks ago. I've always used a food processor in the past, but there's been a lot of buzz lately about how it's so much better this way. I can say that yes, it has way more intense aromas and flavors. The garlic, in particular was overpowering, and next time I make it I'll have to adjust my recipe to compensate. It's nice to be able to confirm that there's a definite difference, though.

[@veganmonter]

I have a small mortar and pestle. I start with the initial pounding of the basil then transfer it to the mini chopper/stick blender then finish it off there. I am sure Italians will be angry with me for using a machine, but I don't have a Nonna who gave me her old marble mortar and pestle. I feel like this is a good compromise.

[@Vortica]

I am Italian and I use the food processor 😂 it’s still better than store bought! 😂

[@Zach-h2l]

i was wondering, is there some compromise people use if they dont have a mortar and pestle, like a little bit of food processor chopping, then you rub it on the inside of a bowl with a wooden spoon? or put chopped basil on a cutting board and crush it with the bottom of a bowl?

[@fabe61]

@@Zach-h2lsadly I don’t think those suggestions sound like they’ll do what a mortar and pestle will do, but by all means give it a go. A decently sized mortar and pestle can be had quite cheap from Indian or South American grocery stores if you have any of them nearby.

[@nivthefox]

I have arthritis which makes a mortar and pestle really hard for me to use for more intense operations like this. Ironically I just made a pesto pasta yesterday! But I do use my mixer because of the arthritis. Both ways: very tasty.

[@lynnstlaurent6789]

Sold my mortar and pestle as soon as my arthritis said ha ha just try this again.

[@thomasdahlgren1985]

My approach is a hybrid. Because I find it's the pine nuts that really need the find grind/milling of the mortar. Blades cannot deal with the small bits and that's what leaves you with the grit. Gate the cheese with a microplane, semi freeze the basil, then everything goes together in the food processor with the oil.

[@dylanb3283]

Love your videos! My copy of The Food Lab came today and I can’t wait to dive into it!!

[@Yupppi]

"Ever wondered what's the difference between a food processor and mortar and pestle? It's like a hurricane throwing shipping containers full of perfume around and kaiju (godzilla) stomping shipping containers in Tokyo." That's what I told my friend a professional chef said.

[@curtis1985]

When I was taught how to make pesto in Florence (not Genova) by an Italian grandmother she used a mezzaluna, (two handled, ‘half moon’ blade) on a cutting board. It took a while too and had perhaps a combined approach of these two methods.

[@martinwjrgensen6210]

When making pesto I’ll usually take the output from the food processor and put it into a small blender such as the magic bullet. Doing that totally transforms the pesto and brings out much more flavor than the food processor alone. I’d love to see how you would compare that to your mortar and pestle version, Kenji

[@reyshah426]

@@martinwjrgensen6210 why not do the whole thing in the blender?

[@Sixpakvb]

I think I've heard you say before that freezing the basil has a similar effect with the water bursting the cell walls, is it just as effective? Does it help in making the sauce creamier as well? Does it matter whether you freeze before or after blending the pesto? I've been trying to incorporate more frozen cubes of things like curry paste or chile paste to make quicker and less wasteful meals when cooking for only 1-2 people, seems like pesto could have the happy little effect of enhancing the texture+flavor too.

[@ericpmoss]

I use less oil than that, and don't do any pounding (only grinding/shearing), resulting in a lighter green color that is good on its own. It's also nice to start with a chilled marble mortar and coarse salt. I see the point of the extra oil when mixing with pasta (no need for finishing oil), but it kind of throws the flavors out of balance. Honestly, though, the biggest factor is using Genovese basil (also, mild Ligurian oil and fresh pine nuts). The Genovese basil is lighter and fresher tasting than the standard 'Italian' basil we get in the stores in the US. If you can get some seed and grow your own, it's a big win.

[@Salehxo]

KENJI BE LIFTING those forearms are wild

[@BooyahL]

Maybe he's a climber

[@Jonpoo1]

4 x 8 wok toss. 3 x 12 pestle and mortar. 5 x 5 cast iron pan oven removal.

[@wizpig64]

maybe he makes a lot of pesto

[@holokyttaja5476]

??? Are they

[@imcharming4808]

His hands and forearms are usually pretty strong from day-to-day activity. His biceps look like they’ve had some work recently however. Hard to miss when you’ve been watching him as long and frequently as I have 😂

[@kelleyforeman]

I was surprised when I tried my mortar and pestle that I couldn't really tell a difference. From how food writers described it, I expected my mind to be blown. This is good for me because I hate using the mortar and pestle!

[@Robinoberson]

Could you get best of both world by first blending it and THEN crushing it with the pestle?

[@snfc5uyt6n89b]

I thought the same. Process to break down the leaves & pine nuts, xfer to the P&M, Godzilla the containers, then drizzle in the oil.

[@aiaiaaooe]

I never thought that I'd hear the Kaijū vs Hurricane aromatic cell wall theory elaborated in this context, with the constant stone beating reverberating behind your intense yet calm voice, Kenji wth. It sounds like a great movie, Ryōri Meirei Gojira Tai Harikēn (2049)

[@Jonpoo1]

I’m gonna tell my kids this is beat poetry

[@jraattianwa5656]

The slow zoom into the processor had me anticipating

[@zzzilch]

I’ve made pesto using stick blender in a blending cup that fits the blade head and it has produced a more emulsified and creamy result than a food processor (same principle as making mayo)

[@gilletteguy]

This is pretty much a video where he explains why you should make pesto by hand. I love it!

[@NoName-of8dq]

Look like you can save some time starting with the blender, and use the pastel to get the right texture.

[@dvanmartin9842]

JAMON! good to see him.

[@shoonrobben733]

Can I blend it in a food processor first and then pound it further in mortar and pestle after to bring out those flavors / texture? Asking because I find the beginning of pounding in the pestle and mortar to be the hardest and most time consuming. Pesto may be easy enough but this could be a more useful technique for making let’s say a Thai green curry paste with tougher / woody ingredients

[@Neptunes_Winds]

Best KZbin channel I've ever found, thanks Kenji

[@ElSuperNova23]

This one for the fellow labrats but I feel like a planetary ball mill would be the pinnacle of pesto production. Don't think the mat sci guys will let me borrow theirs though

[@jimglatthaar4053]

It may not have been a true comparison since the oil was added in two stages for the processor method and in at least three stages (the video was edited for the first and third, or more additions of olive oil) for the mortar & pestle method. The oil has a much better chance to fully emulsify if added in smaller increments.

[@lohnesj95]

Was half expecting Kenji to start cutting up kitchen sponges again like when he explained this in the past.

[@Wokfromhomeifan]

I wonder what if you use blenders like Vitamix instead of food processors? Many of those blenders are with dull blades they essentially crush the basil even smoother. I’m not sure about the caveat tho.

[@VPCh.]

I'd love to see a side by side comparison of marble vs granite mortar and pestles for different foods. I know some people love marble, but I've always assumed that it would change the flavor by altering the pH, since marble is made of calcite, which reacts with water to neutralize acids and form a weak base. The real question would be whether it would be enough to actually change the flavor. Acids like lemon juice or vinegar would foam and be neutralized (that's how we test for calcite in geology), but I don't know if it would be enough to change a neutral food.

[@emmayoung3355]

If you do the food processor and stir the parm in at the end instead of processing it,you get a good result. I think anyway.

[@mrpricklythecactus]

None of this would have made sense without that analogy😂 Thanks Kenji! ✨

[@k1r10n]

It may sound silly, but can you test immersion blender next time? There was a similar video about thai curries on hot thai kitchen channel and she came up to the conclusion that it's a good alternative if you want to save time.

[@cd-zw2tt]

Great video! Although, I feel like your shipping container analogy could be misleading. The way I see it, the whirling blades of a food processor are going to hit the shipping containers, but they will more or less damage the ones on the edges of the blade while the ones to the sides and "on" the blade are just carried (whole) with the whirling motion. I still think the blades crush some of the cells, but it "cleanly" severs the cells rather than a blunt crushing force. This would line up with the idea that slicing garlic without crushing doesn't release as much flavor, or how slicing across onion cells lengthwise vs. widthwise releases more allium flavor compounds.

[@pandatwee]

Doggy is so cute waiting and hoping to try some, too.

[@ryankwan1934]

I love that Jamon saunters in. "I smell pesto, I know what's up,".

[@cocorinow]

have you tried starting it in the food processor but finishing it in the mortar?

[@TimeFlies-d8b]

A high speed blender would probably be in between because the blades are less sharp than those of a food processor.

[@Android480]

Completely unrelated question: Why are we always told to use a dry wine for cooking? Supposedly the sugar can mess with the flavor, but I add sugar to food all the time and it doesn’t cause any issues. Additionally, the basic gekkeikan sake I add to my Japanese dishes is notably sweet, yet doesn’t seem to cause any problems

[@armagetronfasttrack9808]

What if you let the food processor run for 5 minutes straight? Wouldn't that break down more cell walls? Seems like not a fair comparison to have 20-30 seconds of blending vs several minutes of mashing.

[@dantefederici]

What if you took a muddler to the pesto in the food processor after a few blitzes (and removing the blades) to bash up the plant cells, then return to blitzing?

[@GamecockGolfer98]

Kenji interesting question. If you were to use a food processor or a "machine" with blades that were intentionally dull, do you think you could achieve a better result? If the key difference between hand made and machine made pesto is the "shearing" action of the blades then would a more dull blade that did more tearing and bruising of the basil leaves be better? There seems to be a pretty significant textural difference in the two dishes here and I would be curious to find out if the two would be more similar with a dull blade!

[@Mattheq]

How important is the order of adding ingredients? would it make a difference to do everything at once in the mortar? Or to add things in stages to the mini chopper?

[@PurajitMalalur]

btw I've always appreciated the slight editing of adding a black screen at the end and showing the ending cards right on the build up

[@Sarah-vo1rh]

So which pesto did you feed to your family?

[@mattbellamy-id]

Thank you for your lovely compliment. I hope my recipe was able to help you in your cooking

[@Kyceratops]

Pretty clear which is the besto pesto

[@parduke]

can one start it in the food processor and short it on the oil then add to mortar to finish to reduce crushing time?

[@agn855]

OMG, that *Godzilla-Pesto* analogy made my day

[@agn855]

I’d guess the blender pesto is delicious too - and he’ll give it to his dogs… 🤣

[@rattank1527]

I grew up on a small macadamia nut farm and they make pretty delicious pesto. I guess because they're also a soft oily nut. In case for some reason anyone has an abundance of those.

[@GaiaGalaxy420]

Brilliant timing, I foraged Ramps but my blender is dirty and Im lazy 😅 my morter is clean!

[@ssatva]

This analogy is... I mean... I won't forget it...! 😂

[@Three-Headed-Monkey]

What is the result if you put the sauce from the processor into the mortar and pestle, and work it around that way? Combine the two methods, but shortcut a lot of the work. Would you still be crushing the remains and get a similar result to just crushing from the start but with far less effort and time taken?

[@tdjacks212]

What I got from this was that someone needs to invent an electric mortar and pestle. We have the technology. lol

[@JeremyGabbard]

They do make something similar, for things like making fresh masa, but the price for a home cook is unreasonable.

[@jpalarchio]

Would have loved to see Costco's pesto here as a comparison too... 😀 I make pesto somewhat regularly (food processor when I'm feeling lazy and mortar when I have some extra time) but usually only when I have a bunch of basil that I've grown at home as store-bought basil is just ridiculous here. The cost of pine nuts is pretty wild too at the grocery store although Costco for the win there.

[@ActualHumanMigz]

All the cooks and chefs came immediately to say that's exclusively what we use lol

[@andrewf6111]

What if you give the basil a massage before you process? I might rub mine down with some oil first to try and release some of that flavor

[@gountberlin1669]

dear kenji... i feel theres a point one can make that i havent seen here: in both situations you used the same ingredients eh? so if those ingredients are there in the first place and the only difference is the kind of work making those into a paste, is elbow grease or something... long story short: your pasta might need about 9 mins to cook, thats perfect to get those ingredients (as long as you have them) to smash them up in the pastel and mortar during the cooking time of the pasta. i think getting this message across is somewhat intruiging. much love, keep up your great vids

[@thos313]

After many years of making pesto in my food processor I tried it once with the mortar & pestle… and have never gone back.

[@reidmcintire7348]

Made this dish over the past weekend using guidance from your previous videos on pesto. Really loved the (messy) sponge analogy back then; nothing could’ve prepared me for the perfume + Godzilla one today. Thank you! Anyone have special care guidance for a stone mortar/pestle? Not sure how the porous material tends to perform when being cleaned with just Dawn + hot water.

[@lithmire]

Kenji: "the choice is up to you!" Comments: "If you don't agree with me you are wrong and probably a terrible human being"

[@stumpybumpo]

What happens if you freeze the basil before blending?

[@JamesDavenport]

Is most of the difference coming from crushing the garlic? Not that I’m suggesting a hybrid approach of crush and blend…

[@atiko]

What about using a blender like a vitamix or similar? I'm thinking that should break down the cell walls

[@Ricecooka]

Great video. Question I've always wanted to see tested...I'd love to see someone make the exact same marinara/Bolognese/etc. sauce using San Marzano canned tomatoes and "regular" American canned tomatoes and judge the difference. I always hear how much of a difference it makes but wish I could hear a side by side breakdown.

[@cdub42]

Sounds like a very inexpensive and easy experiment you could run yourself! But since you asked, Ethan Chlebowski did just that about 1.5 years ago. The video is titled "Are San Marzano tomatoes actually worth it?".

[@leslieharris9088]

Now someone just needs to make an electric pestle to use in that mortar. Maybe that could be the best of all worlds.

[@MyCami95]

They do make electric stone grinders

[@snfc5uyt6n89b]

THIS

[@mikeE997]

What if you used a Vitamix? Albeit it would be more like a puree, would you get a closer flavor and texture profile to the pestle version?

[@johanntoday]

Could you jump start it in the food processor and finish in the mortar and pestle to save a bit of time and elbow grease ?

[@dixiei.8804]

How about a combination? Crush as long as you can manage to, and then finish in the processor?

[@DH-be4ur]

Could you add a pinch of mustard powder to the blender process to improve the emulsion?

[@TC-yb4lp]

What if you start with he processor then dump into the mortar and pestle to finish?

[@Crokuz]

Wouldn't the machine made pesto be more bitter because of the polyphenols in the olive oil? I never but olive oil in a food processor or mixer by principle, but it's been years since I put it to the test, so I could be wrong.

[@Sam21872]

Since you're leaving more whole plant cells with the food processor version, will it keep longer?

[@blondeenotsomuch]

Is my Costco pesto ground or sheared? Can I give it a few grinds to elevate it?

[@matthewbelesiu3898]

What Mortar and Pestle do you use/recommend? I looked at Serious Eats and the one they recommend (and it kinda looks like your) is out of stock

[@Delgado69]

Came to ask the same question.

[@blondeenotsomuch]

Look for black granite

[@taylord.vickers5350]

Hey Kenji what knife is that? I love the handle.

[@WarMage]

Would a high power blender like a vitamix create a 'closer-to-traditional' final product?

[@isabelnegron658]

Great video, especially your dog looking at you from the bottom up🙂

[@J272]

Is it possible to achieve a middle ground (no pun intended) by starting with the machine made version and transferring to the p&m for finishing?

[@cdandrade92]

What’s the flavor if I blend it and then put it on the mortar for extra crushing?

[@jeanettemarkley7299]

I hope so, I've been making it in the food processor for years.

[@inthedresselhaus]

Is there a way to get the crushed benefits at scale?

[@theedgeofoblivious]

How about if you freeze or refrigerate it before or after using the food processor? It seems like you may be able to cause the exact same effect just by sticking it in your freezer or refrigerator after blending it in a food processor.

[@td_kdname5197]

Kenji is calling the family to come for dinner. I wonder which one in the family has to eat the bad pesto?

[@jimmy4705]

Why does olive oil turn bitter when using a food processor to make mayonnaise, but it doesn‘t when using the processor to make pesto?

[@gagamba9198]

Blending olive oil at high speed will cause it to become bitter. Because pesto uses the pungent ingredient garlic (often without its bitter germ removed) and very aromatic basil, I suspect these mask the changes done to olive oil in that application.

[@TheGrandMug]

Has to do with aeration/ the stability of the emulsion. Olive oil is bitter by default, but when whipping it up significantly as is the case in a mayonnaise, you are exposing more of the molecules to air and it brings out the bitterness more. In the case of pesto you are only creating a weak emulsion and not really whipping the olive oil all that much, so the bitterness is subdued and your taste buds can't perceive it as much.

[@wxfield]

In all my time living in both Greece and Italy...I have never once seen a Pesto poured out of a container or pestle like a smoothie.

[@falion8135]

Question... What brand of mortar and pestle do you recommend???

[@danielvervaet5137]

Would a Vitamix with a dry ingredient container, or even the standard wet container, get closer to a mortar and pestle consistency than a food processor?

[@percyjw]

I always roast my pine nuts before adding them to pesto. Personally, I think it enhances the pine nuts.

[@JimBryson1]

Any recommendations on a good mortor and pestle?

[@guille_snapshooter]

if you put the food processor pesto onto the morter, can you get to the point of the fully handmade ?. could it be the best of both worlds. speed and flavour

[@taejaskudva2543]

What about using s blendtec blender, that has a dull bar instead of a blade?

[@spaghettimonsterfish]

What if you crushed the processed (pre-oil) pesto? If the crushing is really what drives the flavor difference, I'd be curious if 15s, 30s, or 60s of crushing after the time in the food processor would make a difference.

[@lolilollolilol7773]

What if you start with the food proc and then finish off in the mortar ?

[@illtryanything1]

I would never go back to making pesto with out a proper mortar and pestle. Get the big wooden pestle and marble mortar and place it in a place of reverence. Hard to top such a simple dish. Same principles apply to a perfect brunoises vs the chop-o-matic processor that beat the juices out of your stuff. Oh, and get ready to grow a s-pile of basil.

[@JRav92]

I wonder if there is a difference for how long the pestos stay good given the difference in cell destruction.

[@tanyamiller6275]

That's it saving my basil

[@Justin-Trammell]

How is commercial pesto made, crushed or sheared?

[@franmechura2773]

Did you make the Gnocci?