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If there’s one recipe I now always make from scratch, it’s basil pesto. It’s the classic version— pesto alla genovese, which originated in Genoa, Liguria in Italy with simply basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, and olive oil. It takes just 5 minutes, and the result so much better from store-bought jars.
I often make a large batch of this homemade basil pesto because it keeps for a good week. And then I serve it with pasta, salads, or even in sandwiches. You’ll see—this recipe is really easy; all you need are the ingredients and a food processor!
Homemade Basil Pesto Recipe
Homemade Basil Pesto
Kitchen equipment
- 1 food processor or 1 immersion blender
Ingredients
- 75 g fresh basil leaves
- 50 g pine nuts
- 50 g Parmesan cheese grated
- 2 cloves garlic
- 80 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Salt
Instructions
- Remove the basil leaves from the stems.
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until they are golden brown. Remove them immediately and let them cool.
- Place the basil leaves, Parmesan, pine nuts, garlic cloves, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt in the bowl of your food processor or in a large bowl.
- Pulse the blender several times until the ingredients are chopped.
- With the food processor or immersion blender running, add the olive oil in a steady stream until you have a smooth pesto.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning before transferring.
Notes
- Let the pine nuts cool before blending them; otherwise, they’ll slightly cook the basil and dull its color.
- Pour a thin layer of olive oil over the pesto in the jar before closing it: it will stay green longer and keep for a week in the refrigerator.
- Pesto freezes very well in portions in an ice cube tray for up to three months. For a vegan version, replace the Parmesan with a little malted yeast.
Nutrition facts
Ingredients for Homemade Basil Pesto
You only need 5 ingredients to make authentic Italian pesto, so the quality of each one really comes through in the jar. Here are my tips for choosing them wisely:
- Basil: This is the key ingredient. Choose nice, bright green leaves without any black spots, and use only the leaves—not the stems, since they make the pesto bitter.
- Pine nuts: These are what give pesto its creamy texture and nutty flavor. Toast them dry—I’ll explain how to do that below.
- Parmesan: It adds a salty, creamy flavor. Sometimes I substitute it with Pecorino Romano, which has a slightly stronger flavor.
- Garlic: For a mild pesto, use fresh garlic. Personally, I only use one clove (or none at all on days when I don’t want to eat garlic), but you can use more if you like it that way.
- Olive oil: Use a good-quality olive oil here, as it adds flavor to the pesto.
- Lemon juice: I recommend using fresh lemon juice—never bottled. This helps prevent oxidation and keeps your pesto nice and green.
- Salt and pepper
How to Make Pesto (Step by Step)
I know, the classic method is to use a mortar and pestle. But I find that the result is just as good when using a food processor, and it’s so much quicker:
- Pick the basil leaves, keeping only the leaves.
- (Optional) Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for two to three minutes, stirring constantly. Be careful—they burn quickly, so stay close to the stove.
- Place the basil, Parmesan, cooled pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt in the food processor bowl.
- Pulse several times until everything is chopped.
- Then, slowly drizzle in the olive oil while the food processor is running, until you have a smooth pesto.
- Taste it and adjust the seasoning before transferring it to a clean jar.
Should You Toast the Pine Nuts?
Technically, no, you can add the pine nuts without roasting them before. But I, personally recommend toasting them first, because this brings out their essential oils and gives them a more pronounced nutty flavor.
The only thing is, you have to let them cool before blending them; otherwise, the basil might cook slightly when it comes into contact with the other ingredients, and your pesto will lose its vibrant color.
How to Store Homemade Pesto
The great thing about homemade pesto is that it keeps really well. Here’s how you can store it:
- In the refrigerator, one week. In a jar, add a thin layer of olive oil on top, then close the jar with a lid. The oil seals the pesto off from the air and prevents it from oxidizing and losing its color.
- In the freezer, three months. Freeze it in portions in an ice cube tray, then transfer the cubes to a freezer bag. That way, you can take out just what you need, and a cube will melt in a few minutes in a skillet with a little pasta cooking water.
My advice: Use a small jar—not too big. It’s better to have a small jar that’s full than a large one that’s half-empty, because the less air there is on top, the less oxidation will occur.
How to Use Homemade Pesto
At my house, this homemade basil pesto never lasts long—and not just on pasta, because you can serve it with just about anything.
- Serve over fresh pasta—penne or linguine—cooked al dente, with a spoonful of the pasta cooking water to thin the sauce.
- In a tomato and burrata salad, scattered in small amounts over the tomatoes.
- In a toasted burrata sandwich, spread on the bread before toasting.
- As a topping for a hot or cold soup, like my watermelon, tomato, and pesto gazpacho
- In a vinaigrette, diluted with a little vinegar and water.
- Served over roasted vegetables or a simple slice of toast.
FAQ About Homemade Pesto
Yes, you can replace all or part of it with parsley, cilantro, or even arugula. If you want to try something else, I also have a tarragon pesto and a kale pesto on my blog.
Just leave out the Parmesan and replace it with a little malted yeast.
Yes, and that’s what I do when I make a large batch. Freeze your pesto in an ice cube tray for 2 to 4 hours, then transfer the cubes to a freezer bag. They’ll keep for three months.
About a week in a sealed jar, with a layer of olive oil on top.
It’s true that pine nuts can sometimes be pretty expensive. You can substitute them with almonds, cashews, or even pistachios. Check out my recipe for homemade almond pesto and my pistachio pesto on the blog. Cashews work well, too, and make for a very mild pesto.
More Pesto Recipes to Try
My other pestos, from the most classic to the most unexpected:
And here are the recipes in which I use it:
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