How To Make Pesto

Homemade pesto is super easy to make and can add so much flavor to dishes you probably already enjoy.

Lately, I have been getting a large bunch of basil in my CSA deliveries, and more often than not, I turn it into pesto. This is most easily done with a food processor, but a good blender can work too.

In the recipe card below I share my basic pesto recipe for a classic pesto made from basil, Parmesan, and pine nuts. But you can make pesto with LOTS of different ingredients, the possibilities are endless.

What is pesto?

Pesto is essentially a thick sauce, so it can be made from lots of different ingredients like tomatoes, carrots, roasted bell pepper, and the pine nuts can also easily be swapped for other nuts like pistachio or walnuts.

Related: Looking for more sauce recipes? Try my Easy Vodka Sauce With Only 6 Ingredients.

Basic Pesto Ingredients

• Fresh basil – I use the leaves as well as any steams
• Pine Nuts – you can swap for other nuts if needed (like walnuts)
• Parmesan cheese
• Olive oil
• Garlic
• Salt & Pepper

How to Make Pesto

Simply add all the ingredients except the oil to a food processor and pulse a few times. Then, while the processor is running, stream in the oil.

If you have a food processor that does not allow you to add ingredients while it runs, no worries! You can add the oil in batches, pulsing in between.

Once the pesto is made, taste and add salt and pepper to your liking. That’s it!

How to Use Pesto

• As a pasta sauce – simply toss cooked pasta in pesto
• As a pizza sauce – spoon and spread on dough before adding cheese, toppings and baking.
• As a condiment – spread a little pesto on toast or a bagel with cream cheese
• As a dip – pesto is great on a snack board with breads, like pita, to dip into it

FAQ

I love pesto on pasta, spread on sandwiches, mixed in with salads or as the base for a pizza. There are all sorts of ways to enjoy pesto. Enjoy! xo. Emma

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classic basil pesto recipe

Yield 4

Prep 5 minutes mins

Total 5 minutes mins

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 ½ ounces basil
• ▢ 1 clove garlic
• ▢ ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
• ▢ ¼ cup pine nuts
• ▢ ⅓ cup olive oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ▢ salt and pepper

Equipment

• ▢
  1 Food processor

Instructions

• Add basil, garlic, Parmesan, pine nuts, and lemon juice to a food processor. Pulse a few times.
• While the processor is running, slowly stream in the olive oil. If your processor does not allow for this you can add the olive oil in a couple batches, pulsing well in between.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Use right away or store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for at least 5-7 days.

Notes

If you don’t have fresh lemon you can substitute lime juice or apple cider vinegar. This will change the final flavor but still works well. 

© Author Emma Chapman

Course condiment

Cuisine American, Italian

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

How To Make Pesto

Amount per Serving

Calories

312

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

32

g

49

%

Saturated Fat

 

5

g

31

%

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

5

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

15

g

Cholesterol

 

6

mg

2

%

Sodium

 

267

mg

12

%

Potassium

 

67

mg

2

%

Carbohydrates

 

3

g

1

%

Fiber

 

1

g

4

%

Sugar

 

1

g

1

%

Protein

 

4

g

8

%

Vitamin A

 

409

IU

8

%

Vitamin C

 

3

mg

4

%

Calcium

 

106

mg

11

%

Iron

 

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.