This vibrant Fresh Pesto recipe is a simple, delicious condiment that takes just 10 minutes to make. Use on pasta, homemade pizza, grilled chicken, as a spread for sandwiches and so much more.
Don’t settle for store-bought when it’s so simple to make your pesto at home. It’s easy to customize, it’s freezer friendly, and way more affordable than pre-made jars. Once you try this fresh, fragrant sauce, you’ll want to keep a batch on hand for quick dinners, meal prep, and even as a party appetizer.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fresh and Flavorful: Uses quality, simple ingredients for maximum basil flavor.
- Quick to Make: Blend or process in just five minutes.
- Customizable: Adjust herbs, nuts, and cheese to suit your taste-keep reading for more ideas.
- So Many Uses: Delicious on pasta, pizza, chicken, roasted veggies or as a sandwich spread.
- Freezes Beautifully: Make extra and freeze in portions for instant flavor boosts anytime.
Fresh Pesto Recipe
This recipe for homemade pesto is a quick and easy way to add a burst of color and flavor to so many different recipes. This version is made with plenty of basil, Parmesan cheese, a squeeze of lemon juice, pine nuts and fresh garlic, but it is easy to swap out any of these ingredients.
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While pesto was traditionally made using a mortar and pestle, making pesto in a blender or food processor is easy peasy and the flavor is spot on. And if you happen to have an herb garden, you’ll appreciate another reason I love pesto – you can freeze it for up to 3 months! Go ahead and make a huge batch. No more fretting over how to use up that late summer bounty of basil.
Ways to Use Pesto
Here are a few recipes we love that have use pesto. The possibilities are endless. Just tablespoon or two of pesto can level up your dinner. Here ar a few of our favorite ways to use the basil pesto recipe:
Key Ingredients
- Basil – use the freshest basil you can find, whether that is from your garden or from the produce section of your grocery store. If you can’t find basil, or want to try something else, you can also make pesto with spinach, arugula, kale, parsley or even cilantro.
- Parmesan Cheese – if possible, use freshly grated Parmesan cheese. You can grate it yourself, or often times you can find freshly grated Parmesan at your local grocery store. If you are looking for a good substitute, try any other hard aged cheese such as Asiago.
- Lemon Juice – fresh lemon juice tastes best.
- Pine Nuts – pine nuts taste amazing in pesto, but they are also a little expensive. You can substitute walnuts, cashews, pecans or even pistachios.
- Garlic – fresh garlic cloves tastes best. The next best thing would be the pre-minced garlic that comes in a jar.
- Olive Oil – since this recipe is heavy on the olive oil, we like to use a high quality extra virgin olive oil.
How to Make Homemade Pesto Sauce
- Blend ingredients. Add the basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, salt and pepper to a blender or food processor. Blend on high until finely chopped.
- Slowly add olive oil. While the blender or food processor is running on low speed, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until your pesto reaches the desired consistency. For a smoother pesto, add a bit more olive oil.
- Store or use immediately. Transfer to a jar, or another airtight container, and refrigerate or use immediately. Serve on pizza, pasta, or as a dip. Enjoy!
Tips for the Best
- Use Fresh Basil: Young, vibrant leaves (not flowering or bruised) are going to be the best flavor and color.
- Toast Pine Nuts: Gently toasting nuts in a dry pan brings out a deeper, richer flavor.
- Pulse, Don’t Puree: Keeps pesto slightly chunky and not pasty-blend in stages.
- Add Oil Slowly: Stream in olive oil while blending for the smoothest texture.
- Balance Flavors: Taste and adjust salt, lemon juice, or cheese as needed.
- Balance Flavors: Taste and adjust the salt, lemon juice, or cheese as needed.
- Don’t Overheat: If tossing pesto with pasta, reserve some water and add it off the heat to preserve the basil’s bright green color.
Frequently Asked Questions
You sure can. Whether you have a nut allergy in the family or you simply don’t have any nuts lying around, you can easily make pesto without nuts. You may want to slightly increase the amount of Parmesan cheese but otherwise you can make the recipe exactly the same.
Yes! My favorite trick is to freeze Home made Pesto in an ice cube tray. Once they are frozen, pop them out of the tray and store in freezer bags for up to 3 months.
Pesto freezes incredibly well, so if you want to make a big batch and be sure it lasts, I recommend freezing. Otherwise, it will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Storing Pesto
- Refrigerator: store in a jar or another airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You may want to press a layer of plastic wrap directly on top of the pesto to keep it from browning. If it does begin to brown, mix well before using again.
- Freezer: freeze flat in freezer bags, or in ice cube trays then transferred to freezer bags for up to 3 months.
How To Make
Recipe Variations
- Different Greens: Swap some of the basil for spinach, arugula, kale, or parsley.
- Nut Alternatives: Use walnuts, almonds, cashews, or sunflower seeds instead of pine nuts.
- No Dairy: Add more nuts and a squeeze of lemon; skip the cheese or use nutritional yeast for vegan pesto.
- Cheese Options: Try Pecorino Romano or aged Asiago for a fun twist.
- Lemon Zest: Add zest or more juice for a brighter, citrusy pesto.
- Spicy: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a kick of heat.
Storing and Reheating
- Refrigerator: store in a jar or another airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You may want to press a layer of plastic wrap directly on top of the pesto to keep it from browning. If it does begin to brown, mix well before using again.
- Freezer: You can freeze flat in freezer bags or in ice cube trays, then transfer to freezer bags for up to 3 months.
Homemade Fresh Pesto Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups basil leaves
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Add the fresh basil leaves, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, pine nuts, garlic, salt and pepper to a blender or food processor. Blend on high until finely chopped.
- With the blender or food processor on low speed, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until your pesto reaches the desired consistency. For a smoother pesto, add a bit more olive oil.
- Transfer to a jar, or another airtight container, and refrigerate or use immediately. Serve on pizza, pasta, or as a dip. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can swap the pine nuts for your choice of nuts – walnuts, pecans, cashew and pistachios all work great.
- You can make this a nut-free pesto by using hemp seeds or Pelotas.
- Sub any leafy green, cilantro, parsley, or arugula for fresh basil.
- Add roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, or sun-dried tomatoes for a flavor variation.
Nutrition
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More of Our Favorite Sauces and Condiments
- Pico de Gallo
- Homemade Taco Seasoning
- Cranberry Salsa
- Easy Alfredo Sauce
- Meat Sauce Recipe
- Southwest Ranch Dressing
- More Homemade Sauces
- More Summer Favorites
With just a few minutes and a handful of ingredients, this recipe for Homemade Pesto adds flavor and freshness to many different dishes. Use on pasta, homemade pizza, salads and more.
Categories:
Gluten-Free, Healthy, Meal Prep, Pasta Sauce, Reader Favorites, Sauces & Condiments, Spring Recipes, Summer Recipes, Uncategorized, Vegetarian,
