Homemade pesto is surprisingly easy to make from scratch. This pesto recipe also keeps really well in the refrigerator and freezer. This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Basil Pesto Recipe
I’m always comparing this homemade pesto to the Costco pesto (which is the best store-bought one I’ve found) and this fresh pesto recipe wins. The lemon juice keeps the color bright and beautiful and adds fresh flavor without needing too much extra salt (storebought pesto tends to taste saltier).
What Is Pesto Sauce?
Pesto is essentially a vibrant Italian green sauce made by crushing together: fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, and parmesan cheese. It’s a sauce that originated in Genoa, Italy, with the term pesto derived from the Italian word “pestare” which means to crush or to pound. It was originally made using a Mortar and Pestle but we find it’s faster and easier in a food processor. This pesto recipe is also the secret ingredient in Chicken Pesto Pasta and Chicken Pesto Roll-Ups.
Ingredients for Basil Pesto
Most of the ingredients needed for this pesto recipe are things you probably already have on hand. If you don’t have basil growing in your garden, it’s best to buy it fresh the day you are making the sauce.
Basil – use fresh basil leaves. The common basil leaves for pesto are large-leaf basil, sweet basil, or Genovese basil. Rinse, drain, and dry your basil leaves. Parmesan cheese – you can use pre-shredded or freshly grated Extra virgin olive oil – use the best quality oil you can source Pine nuts – these are typical for pesto Garlic cloves – we use 2 large cloves which add a nice punch Lemon juice – use freshly squeezed juice from 1 large or 2 smaller lemons. Do not use lemon juice concentrate. Salt & Pepper – can be added to taste
Can I substitute Pine Nuts?
While traditional pesto sauce is made with pine nuts, but they can be a bit expensive. You can certainly replace them with less expensive nuts such as walnuts, or blanched almonds.
What Type of Basil Should I Use?
There are many varieties of basil. A few of the most popular include Italian large leaf (sweet basil), Thai, and lemon basil. Any of these can be used for pesto, but each has a slightly different flavor profile. For a traditional basil pesto flavor, you’ll want to use the Italian large leaf. Most people typically think of this leaf as “normal” basil. It’s also referred to as sweet basil or Genovese basil and is the type of basil most commonly sold in grocery stores.
How to Make Basil Pesto
Prep Basil – Gently rinse fresh basil leaves and pat dry or use a salad spinner to remove excess water. Process Sauce – Place all of your ingredients in a food processor, or a high-powered blender and process until smooth.
Serve Pesto with
Basil pesto adds incredible flavor to a variety of dishes. Of course, there are obvious uses for pesto, like mixing it in with your favorite pasta dish, but there’s so much more you can do with it!
Spread on a chicken sandwich for an elevated lunch Pizza sauce – try it on our overnight pizza dough or our quick pizza dough instead of pizza sauce or drizzle on as a topping for pizza. Pasta sauce – delicious in Chicken Pesto Pasta and Gnocchi Salad dressing – Thin it down with oil or vinegar and make a basil pesto salad dressing. You can also drizzle basil pesto over Caprese Salad instead of balsamic glaze. Filling – it’s excellent in Chicken Pesto Roll-ups Marinate or toss with your favorite grilled or roasted veggies. Topping for meat – spread pesto over baked chicken breast, salmon, pork tenderloin, grilled steak, and of course beef tenderloin.
When my garden is mass-producing basil, I love to preserve pesto so I can enjoy it long after the season for basil is over. See the helpful storage tips below.
More Easy Homemade Sauces
The flavors and ingredients of pesto and these homemade condiment recipes are way better than storebought. Once you make your own homemade dressings and sauces, you won’t want anything else.
Tzatziki Sauce Recipe Tartar Sauce Recipe Horseradish Sauce Recipe Chimichurri Sauce Ranch Dressing Caesar Dressing Homemade BBQ Sauce
Good Things
This week, we visited Palm Springs for a food blogging retreat, but this one was special because we were able to take the whole family along (I saved my adventures in my Instagram Highlights in case you missed it). Our flight out was later in the day, so we took the Palm Springs Tram and hiked around the top. I kept snapping photos of my husband and daughter—they were holding hands so sweetly, and I wondered how much longer she’d be asking him to hold her hand while she crossed a log or stepped over boulders 🥹. I want to hold on tight to these moments. Time, slow down, please!
