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This easy Basil Pesto Sauce Recipe is so quick and simple, it takes less than five minutes to make and is delicious over everything from pasta to pizza! Take one taste of my homemade basil pesto and you’ll never buy it bottled again.
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Pesto Sauce
Any time I have a meal I want to add a little zest to, I always turn to this quick and easy basil pesto recipe! It’s done in minutes and packs so much flavor and goodness into every bite, you’ll want to add it to everything.
And when I say it’s easy, I mean it! Pop the ingredients into a blender, pulse until smooth, and serve. You can’t get easier than that! Plus, by making homemade basil pesto versus using jarred store-bought pesto, you can customize the balance of flavors to be exactly what you like.
Chicken for dinner? Top it with pesto! Leftover pasta that needs sprucing up? Warm it up and toss it in pesto for a delicious dinner in seconds! You can serve it on baguettes, pizza, even in a breakfast scramble… Whatever you’re serving, it’s better with fresh basil pesto!
Basil Pesto Ingredients
- Basil Leaves: Fresh basil leaves are an absolute must for pesto!
- Parmesan Cheese: For the best flavor and texture, I recommend freshly grated parmesan off a block.
- Garlic: Fresh cloves of garlic are necessary for this- powdered won’t work.
- Pine Nuts: Pine nuts are classic for pesto, but check my substitution list below for other options!
- Salt and Pepper: Salt and pepper can be added to taste.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Olive oil is an important part of the flavor of this pesto, so I recommend a high quality oil!
- Optional: Lemon juice, red pepper flakes
How to Make Pesto Sauce
- Add the basil leaves, pine puts, Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt and pepper, and olive oil to a food processor or blender.
- Blend to combine until it’s creamy and smooth, adding more olive oil until it’s the preferred texture. Enjoy!
Homemade Pesto Tips
- Choose fresh, young basil leaves for pesto. As the leaves age and darken, they can start turning bitter.
- Make sure to add in the Parmesan and pine nuts! The fats in these ingredients help mellow out the spicy bite of raw garlic.
- If you have a sensitivity to raw garlic, saute it briefly in olive oil, then let it cool completely before adding it to the sauce.
- The amount of olive oil is flexible! If you’re making a sauce for pasta, add more to make a thinner sauce. For a thick paste to spread, add less.
Basil Pesto Substitutions and Variations
- Pine Nuts: Pine nuts can be swapped out for walnuts or almonds. Alternatively, you can swap them out for seeds like pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
- Basil: Basil is classic, but pesto can be made with all sorts of herbs! Try making a blend by adding parsley, cilantro, kale, arugula, garlic scapes, and more!
- Parmesan: For a cow-dairy-free twist, try using Pecorino Romano, a sheep cheese with a deliciously salty, nutty flavor and firm texture.
- Nut Free Pesto: To make this pesto nut-free, you can swap the nuts out for seeds like pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds. Or, try my Nut Free Pesto recipe!
- Vegan Pesto: Pesto can easily be made vegan by replacing the Parmesan cheese with your favorite vegan parm replacement. I like nutritional yeast!
Pesto Sauce Recipe FAQ
Spicy, bitter pesto is a result of not using enough fats such as pine nuts and Parmesan cheese, as well as using basil leaves that are too old. The fresh garlic in pesto has a very spicy flavor that needs to be mellowed out with fat. In addition, basil can start getting bitter as it gets older, so using fresh young leaves will have the best results.
Basil leaves start to oxidize and turn brown quickly when blended, so it’s important to cover leftovers quickly. For the best results, place a layer of plastic wrap directly on top of the surface of the pesto in an airtight container to limit oxygen access.
Yes! Pesto is delicious made with all sorts of nuts. I like using walnuts for their rich, oily flavor, but almonds can be delicious, too! Avoid sweet nuts like pecans and pistachios, as the sweetness doesn’t mesh well with basil.
How to Store Leftover Pesto
- Refrigerator: Pesto lasts well in the fridge, and can be stored in a jar or airtight container for 4-5 days. To prevent browning, place a layer of plastic wrap directly on top of the surface of the pesto.
- Freezer: Pesto is perfect for freezing! The best way to freeze pesto is by filling an ice cube tray with pesto, then letting them freeze solid. Once frozen, pop the pesto cubes out into a freezer safe bag. This is the best method for storing big batches.
- Thawing: To thaw frozen pesto, place it in the fridge overnight. You can also pop frozen pesto cubes directly into sauces and skillet dishes!
What to Serve with Basil Pesto
- Pizza Monkey Bread: Dip this mouthwatering tear-apart pizza bread into pesto and taste pure happiness. Seriously. Try it.
- Cheese Stuffed Meatloaf: This Italian cheese-stuffed meatloaf is just begging to be served with a topping of pesto!
- Avocado Pasta: Adding a couple spoons of pesto is the perfect way to spice up a light, fresh plate of avocado pasta!
- Lemon Butter Chicken: If you haven’t tried a combo of lemon and pesto before, they’re the perfect match!
- Puff Pastry Pinwheels: Dip these delicious and easy prosciutto pinwheels in pesto for an appetizer that’ll disappear before your eyes!
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Recipe
Basil Pesto Sauce
Equipment
- food processor or blender
Ingredients
- 2½ cups Basil leaves
- 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
- 3 cloves Garlic chopped roughly
- ¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons Pinenuts
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoons Black pepper
See our Cooking Conversions Chart for help converting measurements!
Instructions
- Add the basil leaves, pine puts, Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt and pepper, and olive oil to a food processor or blender.2½ cups Basil leaves, 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, 3 cloves Garlic, ¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil, 2 Tablespoons Pinenuts, 1 teaspoon Salt, ½ teaspoons Black pepper
- Blend to combine until it’s creamy and smooth, adding more olive oil until it’s the preferred texture. Enjoy!
Notes
-
- Choose fresh, young basil leaves for pesto. As the leaves age and darken, they can start turning bitter.
-
- Make sure to add in the Parmesan and pine nuts! The fats in these ingredients help mellow out the spicy bite of raw garlic.
-
- If you have a sensitivity to raw garlic, saute it briefly in olive oil, then let it cool completely before adding it to the sauce.
-
- The amount of olive oil is flexible! If you’re making a sauce for pasta, add more to make a thinner sauce. For a thick paste to spread, add less.
-
- Pine Nuts: Pine nuts can be swapped out for walnuts or almonds. Alternatively, you can swap them out for seeds like pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
-
- Basil: Basil is classic, but pesto can be made with all sorts of herbs! Try making a blend by adding parsley, cilantro, kale, arugula, garlic scapes, and more!
-
- Parmesan: For a cow-dairy-free twist, try using Pecorino Romano, a sheep cheese with a deliciously salty, nutty flavor and firm texture.
-
- Nut Free Pesto: To make this pesto nut-free, you can swap the nuts out for seeds like pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds. Or, try my Nut Free Pesto recipe!
-
- Vegan Pesto: Pesto can easily be made vegan by replacing the Parmesan cheese with your favorite vegan parm replacement. I like nutritional yeast!
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