Easy And Quick Basil Pesto Recipe Perfect For Pasta And More

This recipe is based on the authentic Pesto alla Genovese recipe with fresh basil, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, and olive oil. You can make it in 10 minutes in a food processor and keep it in the fridge or freezer for months, ready for your next meal. Dietary Note: this basil pesto recipe is suitable for a gluten-free diet. Vegetarians and vegans might need to adapt the recipe using vegetarian or vegan cheese.Don’t have time to read the full blog post? JUMP TO RECIPE HERE!

What is basil pesto?

Ingredients and substitutions for basil pesto

How to make basil pesto

Serving suggestions

Variations

Storage & Make ahead

More Pesto recipes

That’s because pesto, in its traditional and authentic form, is made in a marble mortar, patiently pounding the ingredients with a wooden pestle until they turn into a beautifully creamy sauce. Homemade basil pesto, sometimes called pesto alla Genovese, was first made in Genova, Liguria. Here, we reproduce the authentic Genovese recipe and make pesto with fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, parmesan, and pecorino. Of course, you can make a pesto sauce with many other herbs and vegetables and make a delicious vegan pesto without cheese. We tried arugula pesto, sun-dried tomato pesto, kale pesto, artichoke pesto, parsley pesto, zucchini pesto, and red pepper pesto sauce. They are all easy-to-make, meal-prep-friendly recipes for pasta, pizza, bread, focaccia sandwiches, roasted and grilled vegetables, and salads. The classic basil pesto recipe uses cheese like parmigiano reggiano and pecorino to add flavor and texture. Substitutions are listed below. If you are vegan, we have developed a delicious vegan pesto recipe for you.

Basil

Try to get the freshest Italian basil to make the best pesto sauce. You can substitute other herbs to make a different type of pesto, but in this case, please refer to our other pesto recipes, as the ratios of ingredients might change.

Parmesan cheese

Ideally, parmigiano reggiano DOP or grana padano DOP should be used to make an authentic basil pesto recipe. If you can’t access those, substitute them with regular parmesan cheese. For vegans, please refer to our vegan basil pesto recipe, in which we use nuts and nutritional yeast to recreate the parmesan texture and flavor.

Pecorino cheese

Pecorino is a bold, savory Italian sheep’s cheese. In the traditional recipe for pesto, pecorino fiore sardo is recommended. Substitute more common pecorino romano for pecorino fiore sardo. If you don’t have pecorino, then add more parmesan cheese.

Pine nuts

Pine nuts are the only nuts used in basil pesto, and we recommend using them for this recipe. The pine nuts should be raw, not toasted. Substitute macadamia nuts, almonds, cashews, or walnuts for pinenuts.

Garlic

Fresh garlic cloves. Italians often make pesto without garlic as they are highly concerned about their breath at work. So, if you prefer, you can make pesto without garlic.

Extra virgin olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil is an essential ingredient in basil pesto, and its quality will affect the flavor of your pesto sauce.

Salt

We recommend using sea salt. Start with a pinch, taste, and add more if necessary. Note: Classic pesto does not contain lemon juice, black pepper, or red pepper flakes. However, you can definitely add lemon juice if you like more acidity in your homemade pesto sauce. If your basil has not been washed, rinse it with cold water and gently pat it dry with a clean kitchen cloth. Add grated parmesan cheese, grated pecorino cheese, chopped garlic, fresh basil leaves, raw pine nuts, sea salt, and extra virgin olive oil to a blender or food processor. Pulse a few times until creamy but with a coarse texture. You might have to scrape down the sides of the food processor once or twice. Tip: Avoid continuously blending, as this will heat the basil and olive oil and deteriorate the pesto’s color and flavor. Taste and adjust for salt. Add more olive oil for a thinner pesto. Tip 1: Avoid direct heat Pesto doesn’t like direct heat, so avoid heating it up on a pan. Direct heat damages the basil and negatively affects its color and aroma. It’s best to add the pesto to a mixing bowl and dilute it with hot pasta cooking water. Tip 2: Cook the pasta al dente. Al-dente means with a bite, not overcooked. Taste the pasta one minute before the time written on the package. Then, instead of draining the pasta in a sift, fish it out of the pot with a slotted spoon or spider, add it to the bowl with the pesto, and toss. This way, you’ll have reserved pasta water to add to the pasta if needed. Tip 3: Cook the pasta in plenty of salted boiling water. Here’s a quick summary:

8 ounces of pasta (230 grams): cook pasta in 2 quarts of boiling water (8 cups or 2 Liters) with 1 tablespoon of salt (15 grams). Serves 2 – 3 people. 12 ounces of pasta (340 grams): cook pasta in 3 quarts of boiling water (12 cups or 3 Liters) with 1 ½ tablespoons of salt (21 grams). Serves 4 people. 1 pound of pasta (450 grams): cook pasta in 1 gallon of boiling water (16 cups or 4 Liters) with 2 tablespoons of salt (30 grams). Serves 5-6 people.

Homemade trofie Homemade cavatelli Homemade gnocchi Pesto pasta with store-bough pasta

You can also use pesto for sandwiches, wraps, pasta salads and bowls, and with vegetables.

Focaccia sandwich Caprese sandwich Pesto pasta salad Eggplant pizza Flatbread pizza Sautéed zucchini on toasted bread Stuffed eggplant Focaccia pizza With grilled eggplant and zucchini

Stuffed Eggplant

Flatbread Pizza

Sautéed Zucchini

Pesto Pasta Salad

Here’s our vegan pesto recipe if you are interested.

Nut-Free Pesto

Nut-free pesto is very easy to make. Substitute sunflower seeds for pine nuts, and you’re good to go! Refrigerator: Transfer the pesto to a small airtight glass jar and cover it with a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil. Close the jar and keep in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. Freezer: Freezing pesto is the best method for preserving its freshness. To do so, transfer the pesto to small airtight jars or clean ice-cube trays and freeze for three months. Thaw: Defrost pesto at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. Avoid direct heat.