Easy Homemade Pesto
by Chungah
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Say goodbye to store-bought pesto! This homemade version is so easy, so fresh, and so flavorful using only 5 ingredients (and 5 minutes prep).
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Why you’ll love this easy homemade pesto recipe
- Vibrant and so fresh. Say goodbye to store-bought pesto! We’re talking unbeatable freshness with freshly blended basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan and olive oil.
- Requires zero cooking. No need to turn on a stovetop or oven here. With the help of a food processor, simply pulse and blend a handful of fresh ingredients to create a ready-to-use sauce to elevate any dish. The best part? You can make it as runny or chunky as you’d like.
- Great way to repurpose leftover or extra basil. We have zero waste here! Use up that leftover basil before it goes bad.
- Flexible and versatile. Homemade pesto is incredibly flexible, versatile and forgiving. Swap out the basil leaves for different herbs or use almonds or walnuts in place of the pine nuts. Pesto also works beautifully not just with pasta but for sandwiches, pizzas and roasted vegetables.
- Freezer-friendly. Pesto freezes so well! And having some saved up in your backpocket is always a life saver for those busy weeknights. All you have to do is cook up some pasta, stir in the pesto (no thawing required) and sprinkle on some freshly grated Parmesan. Done and done.
What is pesto?
Pesto is a fresh Italian sauce typically made with 5 ingredients – basil, garlic, nuts (traditionally pine nuts), Parmesan and extra virgin olive oil. Pesto is incredibly versatile and is commonly stirred in hot pasta or frequently used on sandwiches and pizza, or toppings for soups, salads, chicken, fish or vegetables.
Pesto variations
Nuts
Swap out the pine nuts for walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds or pecans. Or omit the nuts entirely for allergies.
Basil
Replace the basil with cilantro, kale, mint, spinach, parsley or even arugula.
How to make homemade pesto
- Pulse. Pulse the basil, garlic, pine nuts and Parmesan in a food processor, seasoning to taste. The consistency should be similar to wet sand.
- Emulsify. Slowly add the olive oil with the motor running until smooth and glossy.
- Store. Season as needed and store in the fridge in an airtight container for 1 week or freezer in silicone ice cube trays for 6 months.
How to store and freeze homemade pesto
Airtight container
Pesto can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 week, adding a thin layer of olive oil on top and covering with plastic wrap.
Ice cube tray
Portion the pesto into silicone ice cube trays, adding a tiny drizzle of olive oil on top to prevent the pesto from turning brown. Cover and freeze until solid; transfer to an airtight, resealable freezer bag up to 6 months. One standard ice cube is about 1-2 tablespoons pesto, the perfect portion for single meals.
Freezer bag
Portion the pesto into plastic freezer bags, squeezing out any excess air before sealing. Lay the bags flat in a single layer in the freezer (this will help them freeze quickly). Label, date and freeze up to 6 months.
More favorited pesto recipes
- Chicken Pesto Kabobs
- Chicken Pesto Pizza
- Creamy Pesto Shells
- Pesto Garlic Knots
- Chicken Pesto Sandwich
Tools For This Recipe
Food processor
Easy Homemade Pesto: Frequently Asked Questions
Fresh basil is traditionally used for pesto but other greens can be used such as cilantro, kale, mint, spinach, parsley or arugula.
Pesto typically uses pine nuts, which can be very expensive. You can swap out the pine nuts for walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, pecans or pumpkin seeds.
Use a hard, aged Italian cheese such as Parmesan or Pecorino. Asiago is also a solid option.
Yes! You can make pesto with a blender or mortar and pestle.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 week.
Unfortunately no, homemade pesto cannot be canned. Always refrigerate or freeze pesto for long term storage.
No, pesto is generally not meant to be cooked. Pesto is designed to be a no-cook sauce or fresh garnish, spread or drizzle.
Pesto can quickly turn brown due to oxidation. To keep the pesto vibrant green, add a thin layer of olive oil on top of the pesto when storing.
Easy Homemade Pesto
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
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 or freeze in ice cube trays up to 6 months.
Equipment
Notes
- Always use fresh ingredients. Skip the jarred garlic (or garlic paste) and use freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino for maximum flavor (and the vibrant green color of pesto).
- Dry the basil. Clean and dry the basil leaves thoroughly. Excess moisture will dilute the flavor of the pesto.
- Toast the pine nuts. For a richer flavor, toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet for 1-2 minutes.
- Make it budget-friendly. Pine nuts can be pricey. Swap out the pine nuts for more affordable nuts such as walnuts, almonds or even sunflower seeds.
- Use EVOO. Because pesto is a no-cook sauce, it is best to use a mild, high quality extra virgin olive oil. The EVOO is a key ingredient here, serving as an emulsifier to bind all the ingredients together.
- Slowly stream the olive oil. This is the secret to creating that thick, glossy, creamy pesto sauce, and will prevent the mixture from separating into a greasy sauce.
- Keep it green. Pesto can brown very quickly due to oxidation. Add a thin layer of olive oil on top of the pesto, covering with plastic wrap, when storing.
- Freeze in ice cube trays. Homemade pesto can keep in the freezer for up to 6 months! Freeze the leftover pesto in silicone ice cube trays with a small amount of olive oil on top (to prevent oxidation), transferring them to an airtight, resealable freezer bag once frozen solid. Toss the cubes (no thawing required) directly into hot drained pasta, soup (such as minestrone), or onto warm roasted vegetables.
Did you make this recipe?
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I just made it and the pesto is amazing. I will try it with arugula and walnuts next time. Thank you
Great idea!
Just used your recipe very simple to make let you know how it is !
I loved this pesto, I read the comments and only added 2 cloves of garlic. It tasted very garlicky, however, when I combined it with chicken, pasta, and spinach, I wished I had added that extra clove! First time making pesto, I always buy it and always hate it, this was so fresh and delicious!
Homemade is the best!
This is my “go to” pesto recipe with a few tweaks lol..I substitute 3 tbs of pistachios for the pine nuts ( I usually have pistachio in the house) and I add a nice squeeze of lemon juice which makes it bright and keeps it nice and fresh.. if you grow basil you have got to make pesto!
Agreed!
lemon (or lime) juice, is a must for me…..
Can you freeze pesto? I grew a pack of seeds
Yes, pesto freezes well. You can freeze in ice cube trays, and then they can be stored in plastic freezer bags for up to 3-4 months.
I freeze several small batches of pesto each year, as I have lots of basil. I have found that if you leave out the Parmesan when making it, then add the Parmesan when you take it out to thaw, it is much more fresh tasting!
This pesto ended up very potent! We think the garlic made it a little spicy. I put three big cloves in so if you’re looking for a little tamer pesto you might want to put smaller cloves.
Thank you… I loved it, but thought it was too spicy! I picked three huge garlic cloves and only used 1 package of fresh tortellini. I put the WHOLE bowl of pesto
in !! Mr virgin voyage as a pesto maker. I loved it but will tone it down next time.
This recipe looks great! Is this typically enough for a pound of pasta?
It really depends on the preferred pasta to sauce ratio as that can vary person to person. You can always double or triple the recipe to be on the safe side! 🙂
What is the best way to measure a cup of fresh basil leaves? About how many basil leaves are in a cup?
The size of basil leaves can vary so it is hard to give an estimate as to how many basil leaves are in a single cup. However, just to give you some perspective: 1 average bunch of basil = about 2.5 ounces = 1 cup. Hope that helps!
I DO NOT recommend using 3 cloves of garlic. The result is VERY overpowering and you can barely taste the other ingredients, most notiably, the basil. I had to add double amounts of the other ingredients to get rid of most of the taste, yet it still lingers. I would use 1 clove or 2 at most if making this recipe again.
Could I use beet tops ,no basil?
Hi Shelley! Unfortunately, without having tried this myself, it’s hard to answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment regarding substitutions and modifications.
If you don’t have enough basil, you can substitute half with flat leaf parsley.
Good afternoon. I know that you mentioned about using a food processor. If we don’t have one. Would it be ok to use a Blend-Tec brand of a blender as apposed to a regular blender type? The Blend-Tec blender is very powerful.
Thank you!!!
Yes, you can absolutely use a blender! 🙂
You can also make this in 5 minutes in a mortar. This us the traditional way. Just pound the ingredients with the pestle until it is well mashed.
Made this today. I’d recommend starting with only 1 clove of garlic in the recipe, then if a little more is needed add it. I put in 3 cloves at the start, and unfortunately it came out too spicy. I added more basil, olive oil and a bit more cheese to balance it out, plus a healthy squeeze of lemon. I used the pesto on grilled chicken…marinated diced chicken on a kebab for about an hour, gave another squeeze of lemon, then grilled it, served with grilled veggies & side of pasta. Great!
Thanks for your feedback, Ashley!
It is best to toast pine nuts in a dry saucepan before using in this recipe to bring out the true flavor of them. Just toast over low to medium heat, shaking the pan to brown lightly. Also adding a little of Pecorino Romano to the recipe helps too.
Pesto is my favorite sauce for any pasta.
You forgot to put how much this makes.
Please refer to the YIELD in the recipe box.
I use it to make pesto bread-
I did not have enough basil so substitued soe fresh spinach.
Great recipe, so easy and so quick, Much better flavour than the stuff you buy from the shops.
I added 2 garlic cloves and an extra tablespoon of pine nuts and the taste was great. Garlicy but still great. Love how easy it was to make and enjoy. Became my favourite pesto recipe 🙂 Thanks for sharing!