Classic basil pesto is the epitome of summer and surprisingly easy to make. I've been mixing up bowl after bowl lately and it's so tasty, I simply can't stop! If you want to join in on the homemade pesto craze, I can teach you how in no time.
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How To Use Pesto
I love using pesto as pasta sauce. Mix a big spoonful into your al-dente noodles and add a little protein if you want (think chicken pesto pasta)!
Pesto salmon is also amazing. Simply brush fillets before baking and serve with roasted veggies for an easy weeknight dinner.
Dollop pesto on grilled veggies or burrata caprese salad. Use it as a pizza sauce or spread over crostini toasts topped with cherry tomatoes and balsamic glaze.
Pesto is also an incredible marinade for steak and shrimp. You can even use it as a salad dressing! The options are endless and delicious.
Jump to:
What Is Pesto?
Pesto is a bright green, flavor-packed sauce with Italian roots. It's made with nuts, fresh herbs, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and parmesan cheese. Make it dairy free by leaving the cheese out or substituting nutritional yeast.
Now you CAN buy jars of pesto at any grocery store, they're usually located by the pasta sauce. But the fresh, homemade stuff is definitely my preference and so easy to whip up.
Should I Blanch My Basil?
Some like blanching their basil before making pesto in hopes of preserving that bright green color for longer. I generally eat my pesto too fast (within 3 days) to run into browning issues. If not, I make pesto cubes in the freezer for weeknight cooking.
Blanching is fairly time consuming and can be finicky. Delicate basil can turn brown immediately if the water is too hot or if submerged for too long. Personally, I don't feel like the potential benefits of blanching outweigh the extra time it takes.
Your Grocery List
It's hard to believe you can make seriously amazing pesto with just 7 ingredients but it's true! Here's what you'll need:
- Pine nuts: Traditional pesto is made with pine nuts. They're pretty pricey, and if you want a more budget friendly option you can substitute walnuts.
- Garlic cloves: One large or 2-3 small.
- Olive oil: High-quality extra virgin olive oil is ideal for homemade pesto sauce.
- Salt: Just a touch to balance flavors.
- Fresh basil: Located in the produce section and often packaged in small clamshells to protect delicate leaves. Look at each package carefully and choose the brightest leaves with the least browning for optimal flavor and longevity.
- Lemon: Lemon juice isn't 100% required for pesto, but it does add really nice bright flavor and can help preserve bright-green color.
- Grated parmesan: Parm is really yummy in pesto, but you can leave it out for dairy free (or sub nutritional yeast)!
How To Make Basil Pesto
Keep scrolling for the full recipe card and measurements. We’ll start here with a quick overview!
Toast nuts *optional:
- Lightly toast pine nuts for rich, nutty flavor or leave them raw for a light and fresh pesto.
- If you choose to toast nuts, place them in a skillet over medium heat and stir constantly for about 5 minutes until golden. They burn easily so be careful!
Grind:
- Add pine nuts, garlic cloves and half of your olive oil to a food processor and pulse for about 30 seconds, until coarse.
Add basil:
- Add salt, remaining olive oil, lemon juice and fresh basil.
Puree & add cheese:
- Blitz until smooth (30-60 seconds). Scrape down the sides of the food processor with a spatula as needed.
- Last, add parmesan cheese and pulse briefly to combine.
Stacey's Top Tips 🌱
- Purée in layers: Avoid throwing all ingredients into the food processor at once. Puréeing in "layers" makes a difference and results in better texture.
- Don't over-blend: Over blending can result in a gummy texture. Stop once everything is combined, it doesn't have to be perfectly smooth!
- Bulk it up: If you're a little short on basil, bulk greens with some spinach or arugula. This can also be a great budget-friendly option.
Pesto Variations
Vegan: Making vegan and dairy free pesto is easy! Simply omit the cheese or substitute nutritional yeast.
Walnuts: Skip the pine nuts and use walnuts in your pesto. They're much more affordable and just as delicious. You can also use almonds, cashews, pistachios, pecans, hazelnuts or macadamia nuts.
Nut free: To make pesto without nuts, use either hulled pumpkin seeds (also called pepitas) or sunflower seeds.
Greens: Short on basil? Bulk it with leafy greens like spinach, kale or arugula! You can also make pesto with other fresh herbs like cilantro, parsley or even mint.
Other flavors: Sprinkle in a pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to give your pesto a kick! Add some sun-dried tomatoes or substitute an infused olive oil. There are lots of fun ways to add flavor to pesto.
Creamy pesto: Blend a splash of heavy cream into your pesto to make a creamy sauce. I feel like this would be extra delicious on pasta. 😋
Storing Pesto
When stored in an airtight container, pesto will last 3-5 days in the fridge. Extend its life by smoothing flat with a spoon and drizzling a thin layer of olive oil on top. This creates a seal that can help prevent browning and oxidation.
Freeze: Pesto is super freezer friendly! I like to spoon mine into an ice cube tray and freeze portions for easy weeknight cooking. Freeze cubes, pop them out, and store in a Ziploc for 6+ months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Young, tender stems will blend seamlessly into pesto sauce, but don't add the large, tough stems.
Absolutely! Freezer pesto lasts up to 6 whole months and makes weeknight cooking easy. I like portioning mine into ice cube trays.
Refrigerating fresh basil isn't recommended. It's a warm weather plant and doesn't fare well at cold temps. Instead, trim stems and place them in a cup of room temperature water until you're ready to use them.
I use raw garlic in my pesto because I enjoy the strong, punchy flavor. Prefer a softer, sweeter garlic taste? Toss un-peeled cloves in a skillet and toast them over medium heat for a few minutes along with your pine nuts!
You sure can! Purple and green basil taste very similar and they both make great pesto. Purple basil is a bit earthier.
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Basil Pesto Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Food processor *or blender
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup pine nuts *toast if desired *see note below
- 1 large (or 2-3 small) whole garlic cloves *peeled
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil *divided *see note below
- 2 cups basil leaves *loosely packed *2-3 ounces
- ½ teaspoon salt *plus more to taste
- Juice from ½ small lemon *can omit if desired
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese *can omit for vegan (or sub nutritional yeast)
Recipe notes:
Pine nuts: Lightly toast pine nuts for rich, nutty flavor or leave them raw for a light and fresh pesto. Olive oil: For a smoother pesto, you can add extra olive oil! Serving ideas: Dollop pesto into roasted tomato soup for an easy flavor boost. Mix with scrambled eggs for an elevated breakfast. Pesto also makes a great marinade for shrimp, chicken or steak!Instructions
- If you choose to toast nuts, place them in a skillet over medium heat and stir constantly for about 5 minutes until golden. They burn easily so be careful!
- Add pine nuts, whole peeled garlic cloves and half of your olive oil to a food processor. Puree 20-30 seconds.
- Next add lemon juice, salt, remaining oil and basil leaves along with any young, tender stems. Don't include stems that are large and tough.
- Puree until everything is well incorporated. The mixture doesn't have to be completely smooth. Don't over-blend or it can become gummy.
- Add grated parmesan cheese and pulse the food processor a couple more times to mix. Enjoy!
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