My Best Pesto Sauce

Best Pesto Sauce

This pesto recipe is the perfect way to enjoy fresh basil. It’s so quick to whip up (with just 6 ingredients) and tastes so much better than store-bought pesto.

During the summer months, we always have a basil plant in the backyard and I make a batch of this pesto at least once every couple weeks. I love using this pesto in my pesto pasta salad, one pan pesto chicken, or Pesto salmon recipe! It’s so easy to whip up and works well with many different meals.

Pesto is so easy to make, but everyone needs a staple pesto recipe in their wheelhouse so I thought I’d share mine. It’s incredibly versatile, comes together in no time, and takes just about any meal to the next level in terms of flavor!

Why You’ll Love This Pesto

Incredibly Versatile – I love how versatile pesto is! You can toss it with pasta, spread it on sandwiches, use it as a dip, or even drizzle it over grilled vegetables or meats. It’s a go-to for adding a gourmet touch to everyday meals.
Quick and Easy – With just a handful of ingredients and a food processor, you can whip up this pesto in no time. It’s perfect for those busy weeknights when you want something delicious and homemade without spending hours in the kitchen.
Customizable to Your Taste – One of the best things about this recipe is how easy it is to tweak. Love garlic? Add an extra clove. Want to make it vegan? Swap the parmesan for nutritional yeast. You can even throw in some spinach or arugula for a different twist.
Freezes Beautifully – Make a big batch and freeze it in ice cube trays for easy, portioned-out pesto whenever you need it. This way, you’ll always have a burst of fresh flavor on hand to enhance your recipes.

Ingredients Needed

Like I mentioned above you only need six ingredients for this easy basil pesto.

fresh basil – I highly recommend using fresh basil for pesto. Dried basil will work in a pinch, but fresh basil makes such a difference!
pine nuts – if you don’t have pine nuts on hand you can use another nut (cashews, walnuts, pistachios, or almonds). Cashews would be my top choice because they have a similar texture to that of pine nuts.
grated parmesan – Parmigiano-Reggiano is the cheese typically used for authentic pesto, but you can always use other hard cheeses like gruyere or pecorino if desired. Learn more about the difference between parmesan and Parmigiano-Reggiano. One thing I do recommend is buying a fresh hunk of parmesan and grating it yourself. Fresh parmesan is so much better than packaged parmesan. For this recipe, you only need about 1 ounce of parmesan.

Recipe Variations

Here are some easy variations to try based on what you have on hand.

Can’t find pine nuts? Swap in different nuts! Walnuts, pecans, pistachios, or almonds will all work in this recipe.
Nut free? Skip the nuts all together or use hemp seeds in place of nuts.
Dairy-free? Try this recipe for vegan pesto with walnuts.
Try different herbs/greens! Use a mix of whatever herbs or greens you have on hand. I’ve made an arugula pesto before, but can’t wait to experiment with other herbs like parsley and cilantro.

How to Make

One of the reasons I love pesto is because it’s so simple to make!

Step 1: Add basil, garlic, pine nuts and grated parmesan, lemon juice, salt and pepper to a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.

Step 2: Add oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

How to Use

Besides being so simple to make, pesto is amazing because it’s incredibly versatile! Here are some fun ways to incorporate it into your meals:

Bruschetta toast with pesto – add pesto to toasted bread and top with chopped tomatoes, roasted veggies, and cheese.
Breakfast – pesto + eggs = perfection… in all forms! I might try making a pesto omelet or even pesto-baked egg cups!
Veggie dip – I love dipping fresh veggies in pesto. It’s also delicious with crackers.
On pasta – I love using pesto as a pasta sauce! Add some roasted veggies and protein to noodles and pesto and you’ve got a complete meal in no time at all.
Pizza sauce – swap traditional pizza sauce for pesto for a flavor-packed base for your pizza.
Bake into homemade bread – on the homemade bread kick? Mix in some pesto or swirl some on top before baking.
Salad dressing – either use pesto as your salad dressing or mix pesto into your favorite dressing for an extra herb-filled punch. Yum!

How to Store Leftovers

I typically use this entire batch of pesto when I make it, but if you’re prepping in advance or make a double batch you have a couple of options when it comes to storing.

Refrigerate – it will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
Freeze – freeze pesto in ice cube trays or muffin tins for individual servings you can defrost and use when you’re ready! You can also freeze the entire batch in an airtight container. Frozen pesto will last up to three months in the freezer.

Pesto

This easy pesto recipe is the perfect way to enjoy fresh basil. It’s so quick to whip up (with just 6 ingredients) and tastes so much better than store-bought pesto.

Prep Time15minutes mins

Total Time15minutes mins

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: American

Servings: 24

Author: Richard Jeffreys

Ingredients

6 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
6 small cloves garlic
0.75 cups pine nuts
2 cups fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano parmesan works too
1.5 cups extra virgin olive oil
6 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1.5 teaspoons sea salt more to taste
Pinch of ground black pepper more to taste

Instructions

Add basil, garlic, pine nuts and grated parmesan, lemon juice, salt, and pepper into a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.
Add oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

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