Fresh Basil Pesto

Learn how to make homemade fresh basil pesto with this quick and easy 6-ingredient recipe. Ready in 5 minutes, this basil pesto recipe is the perfect addition to pasta, salads, pizza, and more!

If you’ve never made a classic basil pesto, you might be surprised at just how easy it is to make. Although it’s easy to find store-bought pesto in almost all major grocery stores, making homemade pesto is far cheaper and more flavorful.

In a few minutes, you can whip up a jar of homemade basil pesto that you can use in pasta, on pizza, in salad dressings, as a sauce, or in dips. Not to mention, it keeps well in the fridge and freezes well so you can make a massive batch and enjoy it for weeks to come.

Ingredients + Substitutions

• Fresh Basil – You’ll need fresh basil leaves to make fresh basil pesto. If you don’t have basil, you could also use arugula, parsley, or spinach.
• Pine Nuts – To add a bit of texture and flavor, you can use raw or toasted pine nuts. If you don’t have pine nuts, softer nuts such as walnuts or pistachios will also work well, as will sunflower seeds.
• Garlic – To add flavor. White fresh garlic is recommended, you can use garlic powder if needed.
• Olive Oil – To ensure the pesto is rich and creamy. I recommend using extra virgin olive oil, but any olive oil will work.
• Lemon Juice – A bit of acid to balance the flavors.
• Parmesan Cheese – To give the pesto its creamy texture. For the best results, I recommend using fresh parmesan cheese and grating it yourself, pre-grated parmesan cheese just doesn’t have the same flavor and often has added ingredients. I used Parmigiano-Reggiano but Grana Padano and pecorino Romano cheese will also work.
• Salt and Pepper – To season the pesto. I recommend sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, but any salt and pepper will work.

How to Make Homemade Basil Pesto

1. Blend the pine nuts and garlic. In a food processor or blender, add the pine nuts and fresh garlic cloves and pulse until chunky.
2. Add the basil. Add the fresh basil leaves, salt, and lemon juice to the food processor and pulse again until chunky.
3. Pour in the olive oil. With the blade running, slowly drizzle the extra virgin olive oil into the food processor until well incorporated with the basil mixture.
4. Add the parmesan cheese. Add the fresh parmesan cheese and blend again until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
5. Taste and adjust as needed. Taste the basil pesto and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. If you prefer a thinner pesto, you can add more olive oil and blend again until smooth.
6. Serve and enjoy! The pesto can be used immediately or stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

You can find the detailed instructions in the recipe card below.

Ways to Use Homemade Pesto

• Add it to pasta. Add fresh basil pesto to your favorite tomato pasta sauce, or vegetable lasagna recipe, or use it as a simple sauce for pasta on its own.
• Use it as pizza sauce. Swap traditional pizza sauce for pesto sauce or drizzle a bit on top of your favorite pizza before serving.
• Use it as a spread. Add pesto to sandwiches, wraps, and burgers to add flavor, healthy fats, and greens.
• Add it to salad dressing. Thin pesto with a bit of fresh lemon juice or red wine vinegar to create a quick and easy dressing for a green salad or pasta salad.
• Add it to vegetables. Toss steamed, grilled, or roasted vegetables in fresh pesto to add flavor.
• Use it as a sauce. Use pesto as a flavorful sauce for grilled chicken, baked salmon, buddha bowls, or scrambled eggs.
• Garnish a soup. Dollop or drizzle pesto onto a soup to add flavor and color.
• Add it to yogurt. Stir a bit of basil pesto into Greek yogurt or skyr to make a healthy dip.

Fresh Basil Recipes:

• Chicken Pest Pasta
• Baked Pesto Salmon
• Pesto Grilled Shrimp
• Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowl
• Ricotta Pesto Fried Eggs

Fresh Basil Pesto

Author: Stephanie Kay

Ready in 5 minutes, this homemade fresh basil pesto is the perfect way to use up basil leaves. It works well with pasta, pizza, sauces, dressings, and dips, and keeps well in the fridge for days and freezer for months.

• Author: Stephanie Kay
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 1 1/2 cups
• Category: Sauce
• Method: No Cook

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
• 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. In a small food processor or blender, add the pine nuts and garlic cloves, and gently pulse to break up the mixture until coarsely chopped and chunky.
2. Add the fresh basil leaves, salt, and lemon juice, and pulse again to break up the basil leaves into the pine nut mixture.
3. With the food processor running at a low speed, slowly pour in the olive oil through the feed tube or opening. If your food processor doesn’t have an opening, simply add it in batches, running the blade in between, until all the oil has been added.
4. Add the finely grated parmesan cheese to the food processor, and process again until everything is well incorporated and the pesto is smooth. Taste and adjust with additional salt and pepper or oil to your liking.
5. The basil pesto can be used immediately or stored in a jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or frozen in airtight containers or ice cube trays for up to 6 months.

Notes

To Use Garlic Powder: Swap the garlic cloves for 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and add it in step #2 instead of step #1.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
• Calories: 125 calories
• Sugar: 0 grams
• Fat: 13 grams
• Carbohydrates: 2 grams
• Fiber: 1 gram
• Protein: 1 gram