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Basil Pesto Sauce

My Basil Pesto Sauce recipe is so quick, easy, and unbelievably flavorful, you'll never go back to store-bought again!
Course Sauce
Cuisine American/Italian, Italian
Keyword basil pesto recipe, basil pesto sauce, Homemade Pesto, pesto sauce recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 1 cup
Calories 681kcal
Author Isabel Laessig

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

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

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.
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!

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 681kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 71g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 44g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 2491mg | Potassium: 356mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 3255IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 251mg | Iron: 4mg