It’s hot outside, so let’s to talk about basil pesto! Have you made it yet? Pesto is one of my absolute favorite, ultra-flavorful sauces.
Great pesto tastes fresh, herbal, nutty, garlicky and luxurious, all at once. Today, I’m sharing my favorite pesto recipe and my best pesto tips.
Homemade pesto is infinitely more tasty than store-bought varieties. While pesto always seems fancy and gourmet, homemade pesto is very easy to make in your food processor or blender.
Pesto originated in Liguria, Italy, where pesto is made in a mortar and pestle. (In fact, “pestâ” means “to pound.”) I don’t have the patience to crush basil by hand, one handful at a time. So, I recommend using your food processor.
Watch How to Make Pesto
Uses for Classic Basil Pesto
You can serve pesto on:
- Pasta: Generally speaking, the best pasta shapes for pesto are thin spaghetti or angel hair, twisted shapes like fusilli, and bow-ties.
- Zucchini noodles
- Pizza
- Sandwiches
- Basically anything that could benefit from a jolt of fresh basil sauce!
Basil Pesto Ingredients
Traditional pesto alla genovese is made simply with basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic, salt and olive oil. I often change up the nuts and add a squeeze of lemon juice. Read on to learn why!
Fresh Basil
Pesto is the perfect use for your summer garden basil surplus. Don’t have a garden? My favorite sources for affordable fresh basil are the farmers’ market, Trader Joe’s, or those little basil plants (“living basil” or potted) from grocery stores.
Kenji from Serious Eats says you can use frozen basil leaves. If you ever have extra basil leaves—rinse, dry, and put them in a freezer bag for future pesto!
Pine Nuts or Other Nuts/Seeds
Pine nuts are the traditional choice (did you know they’re actually pine cone seeds?). Pine nuts are tender, buttery and high in fat, so they yield smoother, silkier pesto.
On the downside, pine nuts are prohibitively expensive. I save money by using raw almonds, walnuts, pecans or pepitas instead. Almonds are the most neutral option, so I used them for the pesto you see here. They’re all delicious in their own way, though.
I typically toast the nuts first to really bring out their flavor and add an extra-savory edge to the pesto.
Parmesan
Parmesan is salty and creamy, and tones down the anise flavor of the basil. You can use Pecorino Romano for a more prominent cheesy flavor. Technically, Parmesans usually are not vegetarian (they contain animal rennet), but Whole Foods and BelGioioso offer vegetarian varieties.
If you’re vegan or dairy free, you can use a smaller amount of nutritional yeast instead (see recipe note). Sometimes, if I’m in the mood for extra-bold pesto, I just leave it out altogether or sprinkle vegan Parmesan cheese on my finished dish, to taste.
Garlic
Garlic is a traditional component that livens up the pesto with aromatics and makes it taste a whole lot more interesting. Don’t skip it.
Lemon Juice
I always add a bit of lemon juice to my pesto to brighten up the flavor without adding more salt. It’s optional, but I think you’ll like it!
Salt
Salt amps up all the other flavors and reduces the bitterness of the basil.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Extra-virgin olive oil is the highest quality and comes from the first pressing of the olives. My favorite brands are California Olive Ranch and Trader Joe’s Kalamata olive oil.
Basil Pesto
- Author:
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Food processor
- Cuisine: Italian
Homemade basil pesto is so easy to make! Learn how to make basil pesto with this recipe, plus learn how to properly toss it with pasta, and freeze leftovers. Recipe yields 1 cup pesto, which is enough to toss with about 12 ounces of pasta.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup raw pine nuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans or pepitas
- 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves (about 3 ounces or 2 large bunches)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- (Optional) Toast the nuts or seeds for extra flavor: In a medium skillet, toast the nuts/seeds over medium heat, stirring frequently (don’t let them burn!), until nice and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour them into a bowl to cool for a few minutes.
- To make the pesto, combine the basil, cooled nuts/seeds, Parmesan, lemon juice, garlic and salt in a food processor or blender. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Continue processing until the mixture is well blended but still has some texture, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary.
- Taste, and adjust if necessary. Add a pinch of salt if the basil tastes too bitter or the pesto needs more zing. Add more Parmesan if you’d like a creamier/cheesier pesto. If desired, you can thin out the pesto with more olive oil. (Consider, however, that if you’re serving the pesto on pasta, you can thin it with small splashes of reserved pasta cooking water to bring it all together. See notes for details.)
- Store leftover pesto in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 week. You can also freeze pesto—my favorite way is in an ice cube try. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag, then you can thaw only as much as you need later.
Notes
Make it dairy free/vegan: Replace the Parmesan with 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast.
Make it nut free: Use pine nuts, pepitas or sunflower seeds. (Pine nuts are technically seeds, but if you’re allergic to nuts, there’s a chance you’ll be allergic to pine nuts, too.)
Parmesan note: Most Parmesans are not technically vegetarian (they contain animal rennet), but Whole Foods 365 and BelGioioso brands offer vegetarian Parmesan cheese.
How to toss pesto with pasta: Before you drain your pasta, place a liquid measuring cup in the sink. Then, pour about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water into the measuring cup before you drain off the rest of the water. That pasta cooking water is pure gold—it contains starches that create a creamy emulsion and help attach the sauce to the pasta. Off the heat, toss pasta, pesto and small splashes of pasta cooking water together until you’re satisfied with the consistency (I used roughly ⅓ cup reserved pasta cooking water for ½ pound of spaghetti).
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Henry
Quick thoughts:
– I’m more pescetarian than vegan, but also lactose intolerant. We’ve been making pesto without cheese for years, and really, it just as good.
– We also make pesto with a lot of other greens. Kale pesto is great, Long-leave sorrel is plentiful in our garden, has a nice lemony flavor. We’ve also used cilantro, parsley, and anise. All have their strengths.
Mandarina
I’ve never tried to make sorrel pesto. Looks really interesting. My go-to recipe apart from basil is spinach+mint+pistachios.
Tom
Love this recipe.
Mandarina – spinach, mint, pistachios sounds amazing. I’m going to steal this from you!
★★★★★
Molnár Csilla
Hmm at first when I saw the ingredients I was a bit afraid of using cheese but you got my back.
Thanks for the recipe. ☺️
★★★★★
Aditri
I am so stealing this hack!!
I love to cook so I always love to see different ways to make many dishes. I had never come across this hack and when I read it I was like “I am so stealing her hack” thank you so much x
★★★★★
Franka
It’s really good and flavorful. It’s a nice change from regular tomato sauce pasta I’m used to. I used pecorino Romano which is sheep parmesan cheese instead of regular parmesan. I will make this again!
Kate
Thanks, Henry!
Graziele Miguel Lazarte
How long can i store it if its frozen? I like to try this in big batches, hard to go marketing all the time. Thank you
Kate
Hi there! Frozen pesto technically won’t go bad if kept at stable below-freezing temps, but the flavor will start to diminish after a couple of months. Hope that helps!
Kate
Thanks, Henry!
Andrew
I’m a Dad with no cooking sense or skill. Thank you so much for the easy explanation and guidance, it all made the world of difference, and the family ate it, with no complaints, amazing. Thank you.
j vann
My two basil plants have produced an abundance of deep green leaves this summer, so I was so excited to see your post for making pesto this morning. Thank you for the timely post.
Kate
Lucky duck! I hope you make some delicious pesto.
Erica B
YUM! I am totally going to make this recipe. Going on next week’s menu.
Kate
Awesome! Let me know how it goes, Erica.
Tania
I’m wondering if you’ve ever had your pesto come out bitter? Once or twice when making it, it seemed to taste quite bitter — I used pine nuts one time and another kind of nut I can’t recall. I couldn’t work out what was causing it — the nuts, the basil or what. Any tips?
Kate
Hi Tania, some basil is more bitter than others. The problem could be in your nuts, though. If they have gone bad, they’ll taste bitter. I’d suggest always sampling a few nuts before adding them to the pesto to make sure they still taste fresh. Salt cuts bitterness, if it still happens again, you might try adding another pinch to see if that helps.
Teri Roberts
The later in the growing season, the more likely your basil could be bitter, especially if it has gone to flower.
AnDrew
If you continually pinch off flowers on basil or cut flowers off they will then leaf better. Flowers usually come at end of season but also when grown indoors under high-intensity lights.
Laura Weber
Another great recipe from Cookie and Kate! So easy and yummy. I made it just as written. Reading about other variations made me remember that I once made pesto from garlic mustard, and very invasive “weed” in our area that is edible, and in wooded areas never in short supply! I had someone identify it for me, otherwise I’m not inclined to take my chances on unknown plants.
★★★★★
Louise
Am I understanding correctly -you toss pasta, the sauce, and pasta water together? I’ve never heard of this.
Kate
Yes, that’s the best way to make pasta! You just add a little bit of reserved pasta water back to the pot, maybe about 1/3 cup for 1/2 pound pasta.
Katherine
You read my mind! I just made grilled cheese sandwiches with pesto last night and was thinking to myself that I need to learn how to make my own pesto. :)
Kate
How have I never thought of adding pesto to grilled cheese sandwiches before?! Definitely trying that!
Katherine
I actually just posted my recipe yesterday (not like it’s difficult or anything to make grilled cheese), but you should check it out! I added turkey to mine though so they’re not exactly vegetarian. But so good! :)
Agatha
Where can I check out your recipe for pesto grilled cheese?
Also when making pesto do you use leaves only or stems as well?
Kate
Hi! I don’t believe I have a pesto grilled cheese, but that does sound amazing! You will want to use the leaves. Let me know if you try it!
Emily Butler
Can you can instead of freezing?
Asha P
I always blanch my basil leaves for 15-20 seconds in hot water followed by a dunk in ice water before making pesto. This method will maintain a vivid green pesto for a week or so in the refrigerator
Kate
Thanks for the tip, Asha!
Aimee
homemade pesto is SO MUCH better than than jarred store bought. Total game changer and it is so simple to make! Thanks for sharing your recipe – can’t wait to try it.
Kate
Thanks, Aimee! I hope you enjoy it.
Dana
I love how refreshing and simple a good pesto is – like this one! I just made a garlic scape pesto yesterday and subbed raw sunflower seeds (toasted) for pine nuts because, as you said, $$$$. It worked really well!
Kate
Oh, great! That sounds like a great substitution, Dana.
Kathy
I made this yesterday. It was absolutely delicious as well as simple! Your tip about using the water from the drained noodles…WOW! It really did make it much easier to mix the pesto and pasta and it absolutely was the creamiest ever! Thank you yet again for a delicious dinner. I plan on using left over pesto for a vinaigrette dressing for a pasta salad for lunch today. I’m salivating just thinking of lunch and I’ve not yet even had my breakfast.
Kate
Yes! You can’t throw out all that starchy goodness in the water. I’m so glad you love it, Kathy. :)
Kathy
I added some lemon vinaigrette and plenty of fresh veggies–that turned the leftovers into an awesome pasta salad! Twice nice!!
ellen vK
This is summer on a plate…….really wonderful! The only thing I did differently was to VERY briefly blanch the basil and then dry it well in a towel. I know that I can’t eat it all right away and blanching the basil keeps it a gorgeous emerald green right to the last garlicky spoonful.
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for the tip, Ellen! I’ll have to try that.
amy
i made this pesto with cashews, because that’s what i had on hand! also threw in a handful of kale from the garden and it was DELICIOUS. my husband & i both loved it, so we’re making it again this week for dinner. thank you for your recipes – they taste wonderful but without being fussy or intimidating!
★★★★★
Kate
Yum! I’m so jealous of your garden. I’m glad this came out great! Thanks so much for reading.
Deidre
Was looking for a good pesto recipe, have never made one before. This was very good. I only made half the recipe because I didn’t have enough basil for the whole recipe and it worked out just fine with still some left over. I went to a local restaurant and they had a sandwich with hummus, roasted veggies, and pesto that I wanted to recreate. Delicious! Will definitely make again!
★★★★★
Kate
Deidre, I’m so glad you enjoyed your first pesto experience! That sandwich sounds stellar. I might have to recreate something like that for the blog! :)
Jeanne
Got a big bunch of basil from my farm co-op, so I made this yesterday from your cookbook, and froze it in an ice-cube tray. Now I have delicious little pesto cubes to add to soup, roasted veggies, and probably everything else! Today I’m going to try the same with leftover cilantro, parsley, maybe some arugula, and toasted pepitas.
★★★★★
Kate
Oh, great idea, Jeanne! I’m stealing that.
Sarah
Love, love, love this recipe! I used pecorino romano in lieu of the parmesan and it was perfect. Froze the left-overs in an ice cube tray for later use. Thanks again Cookie & Kate for a fabulous recipe!!
Kate
The ice cube tray is a great idea!
Jessica
Delicious! I used pine nuts. My husband said “restaurant quality”! (And we live in NYC).
★★★★★
Justina
Perfect Pesot!
I have 3 cups of basil a week from my CSA box and have been winging it when I make pesto with walnuts. I have tons of last summer’s batches in my freezer. This year I decided to follow your recipe and it is spot on! I used pine nuts this year. I think your proportions are on the money! Some of last summer’s batches taste too lemony, or not salty enough, but your recipe has the perfect balance. A quick sautee of garlic, cherry tomatoes and zucchini from my box, brown rice pasta and a few frozen cubes of your pesto, a little extra cheese and my day is complete; perfect lunch with perfect pesto!
★★★★★
Justina
Imperfect spelling! Perfect Pesto!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Justina! I’m so glad you found what you were looking for. I tested this over and over again, so it’s awesome to hear that you loved the result.
Natalie
Just made this recipe and its DELICIOUS.
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray!
Debbie White
Hi Kate. I’m planning to make this recipe, and I have made so many of your others. You are my first stop for a good vegetarian recipe, so thanks a million. I just wanted to ask if you knew that Parmesan Cheese is not vegetarian. I’ve only recently realized this myself. Just FYI, and again, thanks for all the great recipes!
Debbie
Maryanna
I use a similar recipe. Mine incledes lemon zest as well as lemon juice. I’m glad to see you recommend almonds as I’ve been afraid to try them. I’ve always use pine or walnuts. I will now try almonds. I also agree that extra basil leaves freeze very well.
★★★★★
Kate
Let me know how the almonds go, Maryanna!
John
Do you recommend NOT adding the cheese at the time of preparation if the intention is to freeze the pesto? Recipes seem to be split on this.
Laina
I just made this recipe with gorgeous basil from my Sydney city balcony (#cityfarmer) and it is soooo yum! Blanched the basil first as suggested by other comments – its radioactive green!!
Ps. I had pine mouth a few years ago and it is was an absolutely horrid 3 weeks. Don’t buy cheap pine nuts people.
Elizabeth Johnson
I have always wanted to try and make this but always thought it was way too difficult so thank you for making it look simple it’s on my list to do tomorrow and hopefully as all your other replies have been it should taste wonderful thank you again
★★★
Kate
You’re welcome!
Mimi
Made this with some roasted red pepper and spinach tossed in with the pasta… very tasty!
★★★★★
Kate
That does sound tasty, Mini! Thanks for your review.
Barbie
Best recipe ever, I am not even kidding you! I made the vegan version yesterday and it turned out so creamy and SO heavenly. It’s my new go to! I also love your chili recipe! Thank you so much!!!
★★★★★
Stacy
Delicious! That lemon really brightens up the pesto! I used a combination of pine and pepitas and also added the lemon zest and an extra squeeze of lemon juice. Planning to use it on a fresh corn and tomato salad tomorrow-if it lasts that long.
Kate
Sounds delicious! Thanks, Stacy.
Carol
The lemon juice gave it the perfect kick! I even added a little more. Great recipe.
★★★★★
Kate
Happy to hear that, Carol!
Janet
This is the best! I love the roasted almond flavor. Pesto has not always been a favorite of mine, but this was so creamy, nutty, and fresh. I actually used parmesan from the shaker, Aldis brand. I had basil I needed to use, cause starting to flower. Was so fragrant. Wonderful recipe.
Kate
Thank you, Janet!
Bobby Milk
Kate (and Cookie) this recipe was absolutely lovely! You gave me a great insight into why everything was needed too which was a great touch. I had fresh basil plants too which definitely adds a little more to the recipe. Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m happy to hear that! Thanks for the review, Bobby!
Muniba
Thank you so much for a extremely exciting and easy recipe. First time I have made pesto and it tastes brilliant!! I did put extra salt in (my bad) so would need to watch that next time but other than it was brilliant!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Muniba! Thanks for your comment and review.
Marie-Jo
Bonjour from Québec City!
I will do this recipe tomorrow, will let you know how it turned out! Love your website!
Marie-Josée
Kate
Hello! How was it?
Sabina @ A lick of salt
I made a simplified (and low sodium) version of this for a sandwich and it came out really nicely! I didn’t use the cheese or salt and I ground it in the mortar and pestle because I didn’t want to bother with cleaning my food processor for a tiny portion. It’s too easy for how delicious it is, really. Thank you for the recipe!
Kate
Thanks for sharing!
martha
I’m not a dairy person, and my favorite substitute for the cheese in my homemade pesto is hulled hemp seed hearts – in particular, Bob’s Red Mill brand, because they have a creamier consistency than others I’ve tried. I highly recommend this.
Kate
Thanks for your comment, Martha!
anne Toumi
Bonjour!
Je suis assez puriste j’ai donc expérimenté des centaines de x le pesto genovese et une seule x j’ai utilise des amandes cela n’est pas concluant! il faut des pignons des vrais chers oui mais ce n’est pas pour rien…de plus j’y ajoute un super gros bouquet de persil en plus du basilic aussi largement et du frais moi, le surgelé, il est mort ce basilic là!!!l’ail oui mais une gousse moyenne suffit il doit juste sublimer le pesto et le sel pas trop car le parmesan vient en donner par contre j’ajoute tout en fin de préparation deux a quatre cuillères à soupe d’eau tièdie de la cuisson des pâtes cela rend le pesto crémeux et onctueux VIVA ITALIA ! merci pour votre blog anne
★★★★★
Lynn
I just made a double batch and it was delicious. I had used a different recipe earlier this summer that did not include lemon juice. What a difference the lemon juice makes! I will use this recipe in the future.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Lynn! I appreciate the review.
Christine Kaylor
Can I place it in small canning jars?
I would like to gift it.
Can I water bath it without killing it?
Kate
Hi Christine, I’m sorry, this recipe has not been validated for canning safety, so please don’t try.
Jenny Felimi
I think you still have the option to gift jars of yummy pesto to people, but just gift it fresh. From your fridge to their’s with an expiration date of a week. It would be such a nice fresh gift my grandfather did it all the time.
Kate
I’m not sure!
Kristie & Michael & Scout
WOW! We just made your Pesto recipe and had it for Sunday Lunch. It was delicious! Normally I am not a big fan of pesto as it is very rich. However my husband LOVES it and we have a garden that blesses us with a ton of all types of Basil varieties. We followed your recipe exactly, even toasting the pine nuts, with the only exception being that we mixed the Basil varieties of Sweet and Thai (roughly equal parts). We quadrupled the recipe as well and are freezing the rest for future meals. We topped our pasta with chicken. Our 7 year old daughter also helped us prepare it all. She’s getting very good with her knife skills! This will be the ONLY recipe we use when we make it again and again!!! Thank YOU!
★★★★★
Kate
Love that! Way to plan ahead. Also, way to teach them young. Thanks for sharing and for your review.
Tom
I have tons of mint – can I make pesto with it? What, if any changes in your recipe should I make?
★★★★
Kate
I would suggest making my fresh mint dressing! https://cookieandkate.com/2018/fresh-mint-dressing-recipe/
Carolyn Smith Moorman
I made the recipe exactly according to your suggestions. Then, the next time I made it, added a bit more olive oil and lemon. Either way, it was a wonderful pesto sauce! Thank you for posting!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome! I think those are great adjustments to meet your taste expectations.
Melody Montminy
Its beyond tasty its scrumptious . I just got given a bunch of free basil for the first time si decided to look online for recipe that require basilglad i found yours.Thank you for sharing . Give adorable Cookie a hug and kiss for me.
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for your review, Melody!
Cheryl Brown
First time I ever made pesto and it is delicious! It was a little bitter so I followed your instruction to add a pinch of salt and it is so good. I also used almonds- its what I had on hand
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Cheryl!
Delaine
First time making pesto and your recipe made it so easy….not to mention that it is delicious!!!! Thank you!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Delaine!
Jayne
I’ve made this twice in the last week. The lemon really is the secret ingredient that puts it over the top. Best pesto recipe, I’ll never make it any other way!
★★★★★
Kate
Great to hear, Jayne!
Gunther
Great recipe specially the tip to use different nuts phone nuts are so expensive. Recipe turned out great
Thank you
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Gunther. Thanks for your review.
Susan Haglund
Dead easy and very yummy recipe! My basil was quite pungent from the farmers’ market so I added a bit more garlic and lemon juice to balance it. I also added a couple of grinds of fresh pepper to zip it up a notch. I now have my first 6 batches stashed in the freezer with more to come, just to tide me through next winter. So versatile with pasta, fish, chicken, and added to plain yogurt as a veggie dip or alternative to tzatziki.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Susan!
Angela Snodgrass
Made this yesterday following instructions exactly as given. It was excellent, really tasty. I used a cup of basil leaves grown in the garden and had to buy a packet of fresh basil from the store to make up the two cup quantity. I will definitely make it again.
Kate
I’m happy to hear that, Angela!
Julie Ruxton
My two basil plants are doing really well. I want to make pesto and wondered, can I make the pesto now and freeze to use later during the winter. I was able to buy pine nuts from Whole Foods on sale so I would make some with those and who knew you could swap out for almonds, yeah.
★★★★★
Kate
Hi Julie! I recommend freezing in ice cube trays. Let me know what you think!
Brynlee Mae
Before going vegetarian I had never had pesto before. When I went vegetarian this is the first blog that I ever fell in love with. Since making this recipe for the first time, I have loved pesto. Every time I go out to a restaurant that has pesto I always try it. Yet every time, this recipe has been #1. A few drops of lemon juice really brings out the flavors in the salty parmesan cheese and the nutty flavor of the almonds. The best pesto I’ve ever had.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for stopping to say how much you love the blog and this pesto! I appreciate your review, Brynlee.
Sharon R
Recipe looks so delicious! Never made pesto before so tomorrow’s the day! Just brought in loads of basil from the garden. Question: would sunflower seeds or cashews work out better? (no pine nuts on hand)
Kate
You could try sunflower seeds. I believe others have had luck!
Sharon
Made it with raw cashews (roasted a bit), and subbed Manchego cheese (sheep, similar taste to Parmesan). Delicious
Served it to friends & everyone loved the recipe—- Thank you!
★★★★★
Sandy S.
Wow! Just wow! I don’t know why I have never made homemade pesto before today (maybe it was to wait for this moment to find the perfect recipe). I followed the recipe by using toasted pine nuts and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. I found that this recipe called for lemon juice that I didn’t see in others which added the perfect amount of acidity to balance. I tossed the pesto with fresh cooked spaghetti and it went so quickly! Can’t wait to make again and again!
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray! Thanks for sharing Sandy. It freezes well so you can always make extra to have on hand!
Lydia Ronner
Just picked fresh basil. I’m going to make your pesto recipe now!
★★★★★
Barb
Hi Kate, I just made this pesto and it turned out great. I used provolone piquante cheese, because that’s what I had and I added a few gratings of black pepper. Other than that, didn’t change a thing. It turned out great and was so easy to make! Thanks so much for all your great recipes.
Barbara
I don’t think that I’ve ever had a yummier pesto. Thank you!
Hilary Huyck
Absolutely wonderful. I indulged before it even got into the jars. . Thanks so much. My basil was massive this year in Payson, Arizona
★★★★★
LIZ B
I was looking for a pesto recipe and found quite a few but too complicated, yours was the easiest and oh sooooo good and delicious. Adding the lemon juice not only elevated the taste, but kept it nice and green for the four days I was able to keep it. This is so easy and delicious and was able to make it with no problem in my Ninja Storm.
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Liz!
TM
I’ve never made pesto before but I had so much basil in my garden I decided to try it. I looked at lots of pesto recipes but choose yours since it was so clear plus I loved the tip about pasta water.
It turned out so fabulously delicious even my hubby (who doesn’t like basil) ate a huge bowl of pesto pasta. I used the pesto in spaghetti, tossed with olive oil and some cooked pancetta. I served it to my brother-in-law and his wife, who both teach catering. They loved it and even had seconds.
I’ve even bought a food processor so it’s easier to make. Now I’m off to make my next batch. Lol.
Thanks for the terrific recipe and the perfect tip about pasta water!
★★★★★
Kate
Wonderful to hear! Thanks, TM.
Ade Abel
Nice one.
★★★★★
Nataley
I’m an amateur cook ( my husband is the chef in the family) … but I tried this last night and it was amazing! Soooo easy to make and so delicious… Thank you!
Jeremy
Great tip about toasting the seeds and nuts for the recipe, it really enhances the flavor of the pesto.
Gary Fullerton
Womens’ best friend. Man too!
Tommy
Dear C+K, I made your Minestrone last week… Absolutely Fabulous! Wondering why I ever attempted to mimick Campbell’s Tomato soup! Made the pesto; I’m new to pesto; was lovely on pasta. Bon Apetit’s so-called “best” pesto recipe did not have any acid, i.e. lemon juice… Fail! Didn’t they read Salt-Fat-Acid-Heat? Obviously, you did! Anyways, wicked great website! Your recipes are better and site more high tech than any gourmet magazine; and I subscribe to most!
★★★★
Kate
I’m happy you loved it, Tommy! Thanks for sharing.
Mary Smit
Great recipe. Will tweek it a bit next time but only because I like more garlic and now that I’ve made Pesto with lemon… Well, I’ll never leave that out again and will add a dash more. PS I always use sunflower seeds. Thank you
★★★★
Loni rush
Can you freeze extra pesto sauce ?
Helpful during these times!
Kate
Hi Loni! Yes, you can also freeze pesto—my favorite way is in an ice cube try. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag, then you can thaw only as much as you need later.
LYNNE ZUCKER
I’ve never made pesto before but this was delicious! This will be my “go to” Pesto recipients from now on. Thank you!
★★★★★
Graziele
Thank you for the prompt reply
Emma
I made this recipe from the book I recently purchased, trying to get my 9yo interested in cooking too.
He enjoyed the blitzing and the entire family loved this recipe, all having second servings!
I used basil and a mixture of almonds and walnuts.
★★★★★
Linda
Excellent pesto!! My husband and I loved it. I used it as a topping on salmon before I baked it and my kitchen smells amazing!! I used fresh organic basil growing in my backyard. Love this recipe!!❤️
Amanda
Wow! Thank you for the comment about Parmesan… I didn’t know that. Not a veggie, but don’t eat a lot of meat. Just read about what the hell “animal rennet” is… yuck! Will be buying “parmesan” that is not made with that.
★★★★★
Kate
Always surprising what you can find in food! Thank you for your review and feedback, Amanda.
Lise Doiron
Delicious pesto! I used pecans, basil and parmesan.
★★★★
Kate
I love it! Thank you for sharing, Lise.
Kalvinder Kaur
Didn’t have parmesan, so I used edam instead, and a little less olive oil than the recipe required! Still turned out pretty great, thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
Anne
I unfortunately don’t have lemon right now – could you substitute some type of vinegar? This will be my first attempt at using the purple basil from our garden. :-) Thanks!
Kate
Hi Anne! Great question. Do you have any lime by chance? I would substitute that if you have it. Or,use half as much white vinegar. But, I can’t say how that will taste with this one as I haven’t tried it.
Stephanie
My partner is allergic to garlic, but I have a ton of basil to use up. Any thoughts on if this would work without garlic or subbing another allium?
Kate
Hi Stephanie, I think the pesto would still be very nice without garlic. You could potentially add a bit of chopped green onion or chives, but I’d try it without first.
Moe
Loved it, thank you.
Substituted Sunflower Seed butter for the Pine Nuts.
Next time will try Watermelon Seed butter, ( available from 88 Acres) sparingly, as its sweetened a bit.
Also added some Purple Basil, because I had ( most of) one plant left.
Next time will try a little Truffle Oil, too.
★★★★★
Ashley
I am really excited to try this recipe soon. I have basil growing in my garden right now! I like the idea of using almonds as a less expensive alternative to pine nuts, plus I had a weird pine nut experience one time…anyway, do you blanch your almonds first? Does it matter? Thanks!
Kate
Hi Ashely! No need, unless you have a nut allergy then I would avoid and see my note about a seed alternative. I hope this helps!
Melissa
This recipe was so delicious. I like the addition of the lemon juice, and thanks for the tip about adding a bit of pasta water! I will be making this again.
★★★★★
Ellen
Hi Kate. Just made it last night. Sooo delicious and easy to make. I also stored leftover in a ice cube tray ( very smart idea ) .
I tried several different recipes and the are all very good.
Thank you for sharing.
★★★★★
Barbara
The best i have ever made!
★★★★★
Diane
I just made this almost as you have it, except that I had a little more than six cups of basil, harvested early this morning. I packed it down to what looked like 6 cups and added 1 cup of blanched almonds, lightly toasted and cooled, 1 tsp of salt (all we had was coarse), 1 ½ cups of EVOO and 3 to 4 Tbsp lemon juice. It was really thick so we added more and more oil till it wasn’t as thick — maybe an extra cup. I may have had more basil than I thought! I won’t add cheese till we use it. Same with freezing pesto; we find it lasts longer if you don’t had the cheese till the pesto is defrosted and ready to use.
★★★★★
Maria
Hey just made this added Kale and hemp seeds ginger
No cheese though very Gooda
★★★★★
Betsey Martens
I have been making pesto for 40 years, always thinking that it’s not quite right. This is the recipe that gave me the taste I’ve been looking for. Thank you!!
Laz
This pesto recipe was bright and tasty! Great for summer!
★★★★★
Carmelo
Tried this. Love it. Best pesto I have ever had. Not too oily, and I made it with almond flour. I like it better than with the pine nuts. Thank you.
★★★★★
Marian
Lol. Was up to my elbows today making good use of our end of summer basil.
First I made one recipe as written but given that I had 18 cups of basil I decided to make larger batches. I could fit in 3 recipes (6 cups of basil etc) into the food processor. First I whirled the basil, then added the nuts and then the other ingredients. I combined all the batches into one big batch to get an uniform flavour.
I used 3 cloves of garlic instead of 2, roasted whole almonds and 2/3 of the oil.
The pesto is beautiful and tastes amazing. I am freezing in ice cube trays, 3 tbsp per cube.
I saw in the comments below that the ratio is 1/3 cup pesto to 1/2 lbs uncooked pasta.
★★★★★
Linda
Amazing! Used about 4 cups of fresh genovese basil from my newly started garden. P.S. I love that you referenced Kenji from Serious Eats. Great blog and even greater book. Thanks for sharing. Much love from Cali ❤️
★★★★★
Marielle
Excellent recipe! Perfect to make in the fall to save all the basil before it freezes and to have a stock of pesto for [at least] the winter.
★★★★★
Ela
Awesome easy recipe..and love the iced cube freezing.
Very pungent kitchen!..3 varieties of basil in garden this summer,so Thai basil lends whole new peppery anise taste…yum with lemon juice increased..plus more blanched toasted almonds
Thank you!
★★★★★
Charlotte
I make this pesto often, it’s quite good. Well done chef.
★★★★★
Nicola De Silva
As always Kate, your recipes are awesome. We just enjoyed this pesto sauce with spaghetti…basil from my herb garden…yum yum! Thanks again!*****
★★★★★
William Patterson
This is just Awsome best simple recipe ever thank you very much will never have store bought again if I can help it
★★★★★
Kim
Can thai basil be used in this recipe?
Kate
Sure! It has a slightly different flavor but should work fine.
Jo
I won’t be able to eat until Friday :( It’s Tuesday now. Very easy to make with the ingredients that I expected and had on hand—simple. Smells so good from fresh basil and garlic. I toasted the pine nuts first. Thanks for a great recipe and instructions! (Found your’s while browsing Internet for pesto recipes).
When re-mixing pasta water, does it matter if you use the clear part or cloudy part, to get the same good, effect?
★★★★★
Kate
Hi Jo! I’m glad you have something to look forward to. You want to get the starchy water, so once it’s cooked. Enjoy!
Nikki
Kate, I love your recipes and your blog but I just made this and it didn’t work for me
I followed your recipe to a T, I used pine nuts as I had them already and used only 1/2 cup of oil as suggested (I used a measuring jug to measure the 1/2 cup) not a measuring cup.
My pesto turned out really thin (not like your pictures) light coloured and very oily tasting. Could it be the way I measured the oil or something else?
Kate
Hi Nikki, I’m sorry to hear that. Did you pack your basil or measure it out?
Carl
How long would this last in the fridge?
★★★★
Kate
Hi Carl, See step :)
Amanda
Absolute best pesto I’ve ever made!! I used half walnuts and half pumpkin seeds, and toasting them first was crucial. I also skipped the park entirely because I’m dairy free and didn’t have any nutritional yeast on hand. WOW! Love it!
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great! I’m glad you love it, Amanda.
Yasmin
Hi,
Loved you vegetarian lasagna!! I am trying pesto today.
Thank you!
Yasmín
Kate
I hope you loved it!
Greta
I threw a handful of spinach in too, and my husband didn’t even notice. I mixed this with homemade pasta, some fresh tomato chunks, and an extra bit of Parm – absolutely a new home favorite!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad that worked out well, Greta! I appreciate your review.