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.
Did you make this recipe?
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Plain olive oil or extra-virgin???
Extra-virgin!
So sad! Just made this recipe with fresh picked basil and MAN is it ever too garlicy — and I LOVE garlic. I want to salvage it but nothing I can do at this point. 🙁 Really haven’t made a bad dish from you — but this one needs some tweaking. Perhaps specifying how much garlic (in teaspoons / tablespoons) rather than by clove?
Off to figure out how to save it …..
I had the same results. Found a similar recipe that had three TIMES the basil with all of the other ingredients the same measure. Live and learn. I will still use it, but it nearly knocked our socks off. Way too much garlic.
Just made this so tasty great recipe
Yummy. Just made it. Very good. Although I put the oil right in , not slowly but it still tasted good. Ty for the recipe.
Today my wife is in bed with the catarrh and esophagitis that I brought home from teaching pre-K students, so I was cooking for one, looking for something savory to put over steamy spaghetti squash strands. Your pesto recipe was delicious, and got more and more tasty as it incorporated in and through the pasta-like squash “noodles.” Thank you.
Making a lot of pesto. Make it and put it in ice cube trays dribble olive oil on top so it won’t turn black and freeze it for 24 hours and put it in a zip lock bag it will keep for a couple of months.
I’m wondering how to determine 1 cup of basil. Do I pack it loosely or dense smashing as much into measuring cup as possible?
Loosely packed.
Just made this pesto and — coming from a garlic lover — I thought 3 cloves of garlic was just a bit overpowering. Added another tablespoon of pine nuts and another 3/4 cup basil and boom! Perfect. Thanks for posting!
Super easy to mix up in Nutra bullet! The taste is spot on. Thank you!
Super easy to mix up in the nutrition bullet! The taste is spot on. Thank you!
Great recipe sally, i love pesto, never thought to make my own.
Simon
It’s great with Almonds, i usually serve on fettuccine with one Tbsp or two of Ricotta cheese
I will be trying this recipe but I have to alter it as my wife is allergic to garlic.
My question is: Is there anything I can use (not onions or shallots) as a replacement or should I simply leave it out? Perhaps some other spices? If so, what?
Thank you.
You can omit the garlic in its entirety.
I have the same problem. I add a little more Parmesan cheese and it seems to help.
I AM ABOUT TO MAKE IT
The 3 cloves of garlic was far too much for my tastebuds in this recipe. Perhaps my cloves were too big as it completely overpowered the recipe and I couldn’t even fix the taste by adding more of the other ingredients to dull down the pungent garlic taste! I think I will try again with just 2 cloves next time
Yes! Your cloves must have been massive – the garlic taste should be very faint.
Due to the change in weather my basil plant was not doing so well. Todays mission was to find the the fresh Parmesan cheese. I found it. I made it. AND OMG!!! DAMN DELICIOUS IT WAS!
I am going to plant three of Basil next year. lol
Thank you,
Yvette
Should I use the cheese fresh or the kraft parmesan cheese?
It is best to use freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
This is so easy and soooo good! I have already made this so many times. I add milk and heat it to make it creamy. Thank you!
Absolutely delicious – simple to make but the taste is astounding – my family will be deilighted tomorrow
I want to make this recipe today. Can i freeze it in a mason jar?
Unfortunately, I cannot answer this with certainty as I have never tried freezing this myself – there were no leftovers left to freeze! Please use your best judgment for freezing and reheating.
Oh, I absolutely freeze it in a mason jar! Your recipe is the best and since we can grow basil so easily here (SW Ontario), I make your pesto recipe and freeze jars for winter use! YUM!