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You won't believe how easy it is to make this basil pesto recipe. Using 6 simple ingredients, homemade pesto takes just 5 minutes to make. It is herbaceous, salty, bright, cheesy, and so much better than anything store-bought.
Reasons to Love Homemade Pesto
Nothing imparts flavor to meals quite like pesto! From tortellini skewers to pesto chicken to pesto pasta to pesto pizza to so much more, basil pesto elevates endless dishes with its bold, vibrant, fresh flavor.
And while tempting to purchase premade pesto, homemade is the way to go for many reasons!
- The Best Flavor. With simple, fresh ingredients and quality olive oil, nothing can compare to the taste of homemade pesto.
- Quality Control. Not only does using fresh ingredients result in the best-tasting pesto, but you also leave the added sodium, preservatives, and added sugar on the shelf.
- Perfect Use for Basil. Do you have an abundance of fresh basil? The best way to highlight basil's vibrant flavor and preserve this herb is to use it to make pesto.
- Adaptable. When making homemade pesto, you can prepare it how YOU want it. I have provided modifications to make this pesto dairy-free and even nut-free.
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
Recipe Highlights
Ingredients in Basil Pesto
Because pesto is made with only a few ingredients, it is best to pay attention to the quality of ingredients, as they will greatly influence the overall flavor of your pesto sauce.
- Basil: Use fresh sweet basil, not Thai basil when making pesto sauce at home. Sweet basil is the easiest to find in grocery stores and many of you may even be lucky to have it growing in your garden.
- Pine Nuts: Pine nuts have a mild, nutty, buttery flavor and the classic choice for traditional pesto recipes.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic, not jarred minced garlic is best when making pesto. You can also adjust the number of fresh garlic cloves based on how garlicky you like your pesto. In my book, more is better!
- Parmesan Cheese: Use good quality parmesan or pecorino Romano cheese when making pesto. This is not the time to use a shelf-stable canister of parmesan cheese.
- Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice will help brighten the flavors and preserve the green color.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: This is the time to use good quality extra virgin olive oil. It is fruity, peppery, and pairs beautifully with the basil.
How to Make Basil Pesto
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Toast Pine Nuts. Toasting the pine nuts will help them to release their natural oils and enhance their nutty, buttery flavors. Simply place them in a dry skillet and toast over low heat until golden. It only takes a couple of minutes and makes a huge impact on the final product.
- Process Ingredients. Using a food processor fitted with an s-blade, process the pine nuts, basil, garlic, and parmesan with the salt, pepper and lemon juice until broken down and well combined.
- Drizzle in Oil. While the food processor is running, slowly add the olive oil in a steady small stream. Doing so helps the olive oil emulsify into the other ingredients and keeps it from separating.
Ways to Use for Basil Pesto
Pesto can be served alone as dip, used in recipes, or added to dishes to bump up the flavor. Below are a few of my favorite ways to use pesto.
- Add to Pasta: Make crazy easy pesto pasta, swirl into creamy cavatappi, or add to the filling of stuffed shells for bold, herbaceous flavor.
- Baked Pesto Chicken: Spread chicken with pesto sauce and cheese and bake for a fast and flavorful chicken dinner.
- Pesto Toast: Spread on toasted sourdough and top with poached egg if desired.
- As a Dip: Serve on the side of Antipasto skewers or warm Italian bread for dipping.
- Pesto Eggs: Add a teaspoon or two of prepared pesto to scrambled eggs before cooking. So good!
- Pesto Pizza: Swap pizza sauce for pesto sauce and enjoy a flavorful spin on pizza night.
- As a Spread: Add flavor to a turkey sandwich, a caprese sandwich or even bruschetta by adding a smear of pesto.
- As a Marinade: Toss chicken or shrimp with a bit of pesto, marinate for 2-3 hours, and then cook or grill as desired.
Pesto Variations
- Vary the Nuts: Instead of pine nuts, use cashews, walnuts, or pistachios.
- Nut-Free Pesto: Swap out the nuts for pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and toast just as you would nuts.
- Swap Herbs: For a completely different flavor profile, use parsley, cilantro, or even arugula in place of basil.
- Dairy-Free/Vegan Pesto: Omit the parmesan cheese or use nutritional yeast in its place.
- Oil-Free Pesto: Classic Pesto is made with a lot of oil. However, I have had success using 2 tablespoons of vegetable broth paired with 1 ripe avocado for a creamy, smooth, rich pesto. I have also used ¼ cup of aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas) with success as well.
- Add Flavor: Feel free to add in additional garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, a pinch of red pepper flakes, or roasted red peppers for a nice boost of flavor.
How to Store Pesto
Pesto can brown quickly after preparation. Follow the following tips to keep your pesto fresh and vibrant for as long as possible.
- Refrigerate: Store pesto in a jar with an airtight lid. Before sealing, drizzle the top with olive oil to preserve its vibrant green color. It will keep in the fridge for up to 7 days.
- Freeze: For longer storage, freeze pesto in 1-tablespoon portions using an ice cube tray. Once frozen, transfer cubes to a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 3 months. Thaw and use as needed.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Basil Pesto Recipe
Homemade Basil Pesto comes together in minutes using just 6 simple ingredients. Use it as a spread, condiment, sauce or marinade.
Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, about 1 large lemon
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 2 cups basil leaves
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, + up to 1-2 tablespoons more more for a smoother pesto
Instructions
- Place ½ cup pine nuts in a dry skillet. Toast them over medium-low heat, tossing frequently, just until the nuts begin to toast and you smell them. This will only take 3-5 minutes. Remove the nuts from the heat and let cool slightly.
- Place the cooled nuts into a food processor, fitted with an s-blade. Add in the 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 clove garlic, 2 cups basil leaves, ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper and pulse until everything is evenly combined and the broken down. Open the food processor, scrape the sides down and return the lid to the food processor.
- With the food processor running, drizzle in the ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil and pulse until combined. For a smoother pesto, add more olive oil, ½ tablespoon at a time. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Serve as desired.
- To store pesto, transfer the pesto to a small glass jar and drizzle with a small amount of olive oil to cover the top of the pesto (this will keep the pesto a vibrant green), cover, and store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Equipment
Notes
Garlic: Increase up to 3 cloves or decrease as desired.
In Place of Pine Nuts: Use cashews, walnuts, pistachios, or pepitas and toast as you would the pine nuts.
Dairy-Free/Vegan Pesto: Replace parmesan cheese with nutritional yeast or omit from the recipe.
How to Freeze Pesto: Spoon the prepared pesto into ice cube trays. Place the ice cube trays into the freezer for 3-4 hours or until frozen solid. Remove the frozen basil pesto cubes from the trays and place them in a plastic freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Each cube is equivalent to about 1 tablespoon of pesto.
Nutrition
Calories: 60kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 37mgPotassium: 37mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 160IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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It was good made with pepitas. Served it over air fried fish.
What a great idea to use pepitas and serve over fish! Thanks for sharing.
This was such a quick and easy recipe that does not disappoint! Easy, fresh and flavorful; definitely, a new favorite recipe!
So happy to hear you enjoyed the homemade pesto!
I can't get enough of this pesto!! It is so flavorful, the perfect consistency, & great on so many things. I love that I can freeze it, too!
I just made a fresh batch to freeze with extra basil. It is such a great condiment to always keep on hand! So happy to hear you agree!
Absolutely loved how this pesto turned out. Such great color too.
I am so happy to hear you enjoyed and thanks for sharing 🙂
What can be used instead of a food processor? I don’t have one!
A blender will work as well. If you don't have a blender, you can chop everything really finely and whisk well.
Easy and delicious! Thank you!