Basil Pesto Recipe

Jar of prepared basil pesto next to toasted bread.

5 from 14 votes

Homemade Basil Pesto comes together in minutes using just 6 simple ingredients. Use it as a spread, condiment, sauce or marinade.

Prep Time5

Total Time5

Course: Appetizer, Condiment

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings:

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Equipment

Food Processor

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

US Customary - Metric

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.

Video

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