Easy Homemade Pesto
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No need for store-bought pesto anymore. This recipe is so easy with just 5 ingredients. And it takes just 5 min to make too!
I somehow always have extra basil on hand so I’ve found myself making pesto on a weekly basis. It’s one of the easiest things to make – with the help of a food processor – and it requires so little ingredients! Plus, having a jar of pesto in your fridge is always a life saver for those busy weeknights. All you have to do is cook up some pasta, slather on that pesto and sprinkle on some Parmesan. Done and done.
Now if you’re used to store-bought pesto, believe me when I tell you that this homemade version will change your life. It’s just so much more vibrant and fresh, and you can control exactly how runny or thick you want your pesto to be. Just be sure to add more olive oil until your desired consistency is reached.
I should also tell you that this is best made when using a food processor, not a blender. I have tried using a blender and the consistency just isn’t the same. And I know that pine nuts (also called pignolias) can be a bit pricey but one small 8-ounce bag of pine nuts will last you a lifetime. And it gives you an excuse to make more pesto for next time!
Easy Homemade Pesto
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ⅓ cup olive oil
Equipment
Instructions
- To make the pesto, combine basil, garlic, pine nuts and Parmesan in the bowl of a food processor; season with salt and pepper, to taste. With the motor running, add olive oil in a slow stream until emulsified; set aside.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
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Perfect recipe for pesto. This pesto was delicious. I used fresh Reggiano Parmigiano cut out of a wheel of cheese from a great Italian cheese shop on Arthur Ave. in the Bronx, NY. Don’t leave out the Parmigiano cheese! Use all fresh ingredients and you will be blown away by this recipe. I also used fresh garlic and fresh basil from my garden and Olio Carli extra virgin olive oil. Amazing!
just made a batch, only used toasted almonds, instead of pine nuts, i believe it will give an extra crunchiness in the bite.
Amazing
I was cutting back my basil plant and decided to make pesto. I have not made pesto in years, but this recipe is a snap. Mmmm pasta al pesto tonight! Thanks for your recipe.
I made the recipe exactly as it was written, so my review is credible. In my opinion, anyone who rates this recipe after they have made changes to it, is giving a dishonest review. This serves no one. Especially people who rely on ratings to help them decide whether or not they want to invest their ingredients in making a recipe. In my opinion, I felt that this recipe was good. The ratios were effective at producing a tasty pesto. I think, though, as others have suggested here, that the recipe needs a little bit of enhancement and that lemon juice would likely be the perfect addition to enhance all of the flavors. I will make this recipe again and next time I will add lemon.
I just made it and had the same thought. Out to the market for lemons now!
thank you for being honest Mimi. I’m going to make this and add the lemon!
We are Asian and located at the heart of South East Asia and this is a very Western recipe. when my son requested pesto pasta, i started looking for pesto sauce but found this recipe instead! It’s reallyyy lovely.. the freshness and the texture of the sauce are much better than store bought!! The kids fell in love!
May I know which type of basil is good for pesto ? Can I use sweet basil ?
Been making this for years with my dad. We use toasted sunflower seeds instead of pine nuts.
Never have pine nut in hand so I used walnuts almonds and cashews hope you don’t mind. Wonderful thks for the test of receipe .Thumbs up!
Hi, may I know if there’s any way I could thicken the pesto sauce?
I haven’t made this yet I just had a question. Is Parmesan necessary? Because I have all the other ingredients just not parm. Will it be okay if I just skip that step or should I pick some up before I make it
I can not eat Parmesan cheese, so can you leave it out.
So good. I used 4 cups basil leaves and expanded the other ingredients proportionately. Will freeze half for the cold brutal winter. I use cauliflower pasta (delicious).
Insanely delicious. I will definitely be making this again.
Once I make this, how long can it be kept refrigerated for?
I could drink this basil pesto! So delicious and easy to make – made it in my Ninja Chopper and ate it tonight on baked chicken and otherwise boring rice and the rest is going on pasta this weekend.
recipe says 1 week in refrigerator, I freeze mine.
This is SO delicious and very easy to make. I took the advice of some of the reviewers. I only used two decent-sized garlic cloves, walnuts in place of the pine nuts and added a little lemon juice. I blended it all in my mini Cuisinart food processor. I had half of it over some homemade ricotta gnocchi that I had in the freezer. This is better than any store-bought pesto that I’ve had. Thanks for this keeper recipe!
needs lemon juice. Quick freezing tip: pesto does not keep long in the fridge. do not add the cheese, freeze in ice cube trays, then put in a ziplock. Take out when you need and add cheese when thawed. Amazing in chicken salad sandwiches and potato salad too. Many thanks!
Love it! I really appreciate this simple recipe! So easy and yummy! 😉
I could never make a good pesto so I gave up making pesto for years but ….. Finally a really easy and damn delusion pesto!
Excellent!!! Just perfect. Simple and easy. My family love it ❤️
This recipe was great! We didn’t have any pine nuts or a food processor– we didn’t use any pine nuts and used a blender instead— but it still turned out amazing!
Easy and delicious.