How to Make Basil Pesto

Learn How to Make Basil Pesto with this quick and easy homemade pesto recipe. Swirl it into you favorite soups, spread on sandwiches and add it to stews, pasta dishes and more.  

This homemade pesto sauce is healthy, delicious and made with fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese and extra-virgin olive oil.  

What Is Basil Pesto?

Basil pesto sauce is a delicious green sauce that can be spread on sandwiches, stirred into soups and stews, tossed with vegetables and added to salad dressings.  It’s also amazing drizzled on eggs (fried or scrambled).

What’s The Difference Between Pesto And Pistou?

What’s the difference between pesto and pistou?  Pesto originated in Italy, and pistou (also a garlicky basil sauce) originated from the south of France.  Pistou looks like pesto, but the main difference between the two is that there are no pine nuts added when making pistou.  

Homemade Pesto Recipe

This homemade pesto recipe uses fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.  A lot of recipes call for Parmigiano-Reggiano, but I use Parmesan because I personally like the flavor of it better.  

• 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or Parmigiano-Reggiano)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2-3 tablespoons pine nuts (or almonds, walnuts, cashews or pistachios) (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper
• 2/3 to 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (depending on your desired consistency – use 1/2 cup for a thinner consistency)

How To Make Basil Pesto

1. Toast Nuts – heat a frying pan over medium low heat.  Toast the pine nuts until lightly golden shaking the pan frequently to prevent burning.  
2. Mince Garlic – peel and mince 2 cloves garlic.  My son loves it good and garlicky so he adds 3 cloves to the mix.
3. Grate Cheese – Finely grate the cheese.  I use a fine grater typically used for Parmesan cheese, rather than a box grater, so there are no larger pieces of cheese in the sauce.
4. Prep Basil – Remove the thick ends of the stems and discard using only the leaves and finer stems.  Add the basil, garlic and nuts to a food processor (or blender if you don’t have a processor) and process until finely chopped.
5. Add Olive Oil and Cheese– while processor is still running, pour olive oil in a stead stream through the feed tube. Turn the processor off and remove the lid to add your cheese.  Pulse a few times to incorporate the cheese into the sauce.

How Long Does Homemade Pesto Last?

Store homemade pesto sauce  in a sealed jar.  Drizzle about 1-1/2 teaspoons of olive oil on the top to prevent the pesto from browning. Pesto can keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Can You Freeze Pesto?

To freeze pesto, just spoon into an ice cube tray and freeze. Transfer the frozen cubes into an airtight container of freezer bag. 

How Do You Keep Basil Fresh?

Trim the stems and place them in a glass of water (like flowers) and leave them either on the counter or refrigerator.

How Do You Store Fresh Basil? 

There’s three methods for storing fresh basil.  

1.  Trim the stems and place the basil in a glass of water with a plastic bag covering the leaves. Store either on the countertop or the refrigerator if you have the space.
2. Pick the basil leaves off the stems and lay them flat on a paper towel.  Roll the paper towel up and put in a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator.
3. Pick the basil leaves off the stems and place in a freezer storage bag and lay flat in the freezer until the leaves are frozen.  You can also quickly blanch the leaves and then bunch them up in ice cube tray compartments and freeze them into cubes.

Health Benefits of Basil Leaves 

Basil is an aromatic herb in the mint family (along with oregano and rosemary).  Basil contains antioxidant-rich volatile essential oils that provide immune-boosting benefits.  

Serving Suggestions

Spread on sandwiches, stir it  into soups, sauces and stews, toss with vegetables, noodles, drizzle over eggs (fried or scrambled) and add to salad dressings.  

• Soup au Pistou
• French Potage with Pistou
• Basil Mashed Potatoes
• Lemon Basil Vinaigrette
• Pesto Cauliflower Rice
• Pesto Zucchini Noodles with Chicken
• Basil Pesto Broccoli
• Arugula Pesto Potato Salad

More Pesto Recipes

• Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
• Arugula Pesto