My basil pesto recipe is classic, fool proof, and mouthwateringly delicious. I show you how to make authentic pesto Genovese at home, step by step.

when life gives you basil…make pesto!
This is it, the definitive basil pesto recipe. Store bought pesto is not even close in flavor, so if you’re still buying yours at Trader Joe’s or wherever you shop, cease and desist! My pesto recipe is easy and it will change the way you cook and eat forever. I’ll show you how to make it, step by easy step, and share all my tips and tricks. Trust me, you can’t afford not to memorize this!!
Basil seems to go crazy at the end of summer, and if you’ve got any growing in the ground or in containers, you’ll know that it’s use it or lose it right now. I make batches of pesto at the close of summer so I can enjoy that vivid flavor all year long. I’ll share my tips for freezing your pesto in this post so you never have to be without it.
ingredients for my homemade basil pesto recipe
Pesto, along with chimichurri sauce and green goddess dressing, is one of the three green sauces you need to know how to make…here’s what you’ll need:
- fresh basil
- if you can find living basil (in the ground or in a pot) that’s best. Trader Joe’s sells potted basil all year long.
- olive oil
- I use extra virgin olive oil for my pesto, but you may want to consider a milder olive oil if you’re sensitive to bitter flavors. Extra virgin oil makes a somewhat ‘spicy’ pesto with slight bitterness. Some like that, some don’t. There is some speculation that processing olive oil brings out bitterness, so it makes sense to start with a milder product.
- Parmesan cheese
- Parm is pretty much the gold standard, but you can substitute any hard aged cheese in pesto ~ try Romano, Manchego, or Asiago cheese.
- pine nuts
- pine nuts are expensive, but you can substitute walnuts or almonds. For extra flavor toast your pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat, stirring almost constantly, until they turn golden.
- garlic
- use this to taste. Raw garlic is pungent, so I use just 2 cloves. Roast your garlic if you prefer a milder flavor, you can learn how to roast garlic in this post.
- lemon juice
- don’t skip this, it gives the pesto a nice acidity and keeps it from turning brown.
- salt
how to make classic pesto Genovese
1. gather fresh basil
Grab it from your garden, your farmers market, or your supermarket. Pick off all the leaves from the stems. Tender stems are usable, but discard the main stalks, Discard any blemished leaves or flowering bits. Rinse and drain on a clean kitchen towel.
2. add the basil to a food processor
For this pesto recipe I use a full size 14 cup Cuisinart food processor fitted with the metal blade. It’s a workhorse in my kitchen and definitely the one machine I recommend you invest in. Your basil will fill the machine, but no worries, it will break down as you process it.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients
That would be Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt.
4. Process
My technique goes like this: pulse 20 times. Scrape down the sides. Pulse 20 more times, scrape the sides again. Process for about 5 seconds. Scrape. Taste to adjust any of the seasonings. Process for a final 5-10 seconds.
5. Transfer to an airtight jar and refrigerate
Keep your homemade pesto tightly covered and it should stay bright green and fresh for up to a week, sometimes more.
basil pesto FAQS and TIPS
- How do I prevent my pesto from turning brown?
- I add the juice of a lemon to my pesto and I’ve never had it turn brown, so be sure to use fresh lemon juice. Some like to top their pesto with a layer of olive oil before storing. The idea is that the oil protects the surface from oxygen which can ‘oxidize’ and discolor the pesto. Sometimes the surface of pesto can turn dark, but you can just stir it in before serving.
- Do I need to blanch my basil?
- No, I never do that. Some folks say it’s a good way to keep the pesto from turning brown, but I think blanching fresh basil is a sacrilege! Pesto is a vibrant raw sauce and cooking basil, even for a minute, destroys that incredible fresh flavor.
- How long will pesto last?
- pesto is highly perishable and I would use it within the week.
- Can you freeze pesto?
- Yes, my pesto recipe freezes beautifully. Some like to fill an ice cube tray and then, once frozen solid, pop out the cubes into a zip lock freezer bag.
- Why does my pesto taste bitter?
- both basil and olive oil have bitter elements to their flavor so, to some degree, pesto will have a slight bitter edge, it’s one of the things I love about it. If yours is excessively bitter it could be your olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil tends to be more bitter, so use a milder option like pure or light olive oil for your pesto. Walnuts are also bitter, so don’t use them, opt for traditional pine nuts. If your pesto turns out too bitter for you, stir in a small amount of sugar to balance it out.
- Can I make pesto without nuts?
- Absolutely, just leave them out.
- Is pesto vegan?
- pesto contains cheese, so it is not vegan, but you can make a vegan pesto by substituting nutritional yeast for the Parmesan cheese. Nutritional yeast has a umami flavor similar to Parm!
- Is pesto healthy?
- Pesto is an incredibly healthy sauce and part of the heart healthy Mediterranean diet. Pesto is packed with healthy fats and antioxidants which are known to help prevent cancer, diabetes, heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
- To make a smaller batch of pesto
- Make any size batch you like, there’s no need to get mathematical about the ingredients, you can eyeball them and taste as you go. I would use a small food processor for small batches so everything gets well blended.
what to do with pesto
PASTA: toss freshly cooked pasta with pesto for a quick meal. this pesto recipe makes a great dressing for pasta salad, too.
SALAD DRESSING: use as is or thin it down with more oil, pesto works for bean salads and tomato salads as well as regular green salads. It works especially well with caprese salad.
DIPPING SAUCE: pesto makes the world’s easiest appetizer, just pair with fresh crusty bread for dipping. I like to thin it down with more olive oil for a thinner consistency.
SOUP: do as the Italians do and add a dollop of fresh pesto to your next chicken soup or minestrone.
MARINADE: I use it to marinate mozzarella for salads.
MIX IT INTO HUMMUS: for a nice vibrant change I make basil hummus.
SANDWICH SPREAD: I love to mix pesto with mayonnaise for the best tomato sandwiches!
alternative pesto recipes
Lemony Artichoke Pesto Recipe ~ we love this yummy pesto alternative, it’s great on toasted bread, and also on pasta.
Chive and Parsley Pesto ~ lovely and green, but with a completely different flavor profile.
Pasta with Sun Dried Tomato and Almond Pesto ~ this unusual pesto is actually authentic Italian, it’s delicious!
Whole Grain Pasta with Pistachio Pesto ~ you can do this with any nut you love.
Steak Fajita Skewers with Cilantro Pesto ~ this vivid pesto recipe proves that basil’s not the only herb on the block.
Arugula Pesto Sauce ~ we love to use this one as a dipping sauce.
Spicy Basil Pesto ~ one of my favorites, just add a little (or a lot!) of jalapeรฑo pepper for a nice kick.
Basil Pesto Recipe
Equipment
- food processor I use this 14 cup Cuisinart Processor
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh basil leaves, rinsed and drained on a clean kitchen towel
- 2/3 cup olive oil (see notes below)
- 1/3 cup pine nuts, about 2 ounces, toasted or not
- 1/3 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 tsp coarse salt
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Put the basil into your food processor fitted with the metal blade, pushing it down to fit, if necessary.
- Add the rest of the ingredients on top. Pulse the machine 20 times. Then scrape down the sides.
- Pulse the machine 20 more times, and scrape again.
- Run the machine for about 5 seconds. Scrape again. Give it a taste to make any adjustments to the ingredients.
- Run for a final 5-10 seconds, at most. The pesto should be perfect.
- Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until needed.
I will have a n awful lot of basil in a few more weeks! Can I can pesto?
I am always confused about measuring basil. In the picture above, it looks like it is just dropped into the 4-cup Pyrex. Is that the way to measure out 4 cups, or should it be 4 cups packed? It makes a big difference.
It’s a great question ~ I address it in my Green Goddess Coleslaw post:
HOW TO MEASURE FRESH HERBS
Green goddess coleslaw calls for a lot of fresh herbs, and theyโre all different shapes and sizes. I find cup measures to be the most convenient way to communicate amounts in this case. But please donโt stress, the herbs can be mixed and matched in endless ratios and your green goddess coleslaw will still be fabulous.
Remove large stems and place herbs and tender stems into the cup measure and press down to compact them slightly. Itโs not a precise measure, but it will work in recipes like this.
This is an excellent recipe, Sue! I have been using toasted pumpkin seeds instead of pine nuts and they seem a really good substitute since they have gone a little bit out of my price range since I eat pesto very frequently. Also, on some of the days I serve pesto I like to add good amount of wilted spinach and some pesto into a blender to make it super-duper healthy. It is surprisingly delicious. The spinach makes it creamy, almost luxurious!
Thanks for another winner, we really appreciate you!!
We love pesto in our house, I think it is my husbands favorite thing. I like the addition of a little lemon, I have done that and it is really good. I really like the other pestoโs you mentioned and will have to try them. I just made some bread and that may be just the thing to make now.
This is so good!!! I have made pesto twice this summer from my basil plant that just won’t quit. The first time I blanched the basil, but this time I didn’t. I am never going back! The flavor is brighter and sharper without blanching. Delicious and easy recipe!
I’m so glad I convinced you ~ not sure why blanching has become such a thing in the first place!
I have a pretty big garden, lots of cucumbers and tomatoes, basil, parsley, chives. I made your basil Pesto tonight for the first time, I’ve never tried Pesto before. It is excellent! Thanks so much for the excellent delish Pesto recipe. I’m going to do the parsley tomorrow. I make my own pasta, so I’ll add the Pestos for a change, as per your recipes.
I would love know how much nutritional yeast to use in place of the parmesan cheese thanks!
I think you could use the same amount Louise.