Easy Homemade Basil Pesto Recipe
My easy homemade pesto recipe is rich, herby, and aromatic. It’s really simple to make, and while delicious when served with pasta, can be used with so many other dishes.
Ingredients You’ll Need
To get started with my homemade pesto, you’ll need the following:
- Fresh Basil – 2 cups fresh basil leaves (packed) (about 4.2oz or 120 grams)
- Pine Nuts – 1/3 cup pine nuts
- Garlic – 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Parmigiano Reggiano – 1/2 cup freshly-grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- Salt – pinch of kosher salt
- Black Pepper – pinch of black pepper
These ingredients will make about 1¼ cups of pesto when blended.
Ingredient Notes
Pine Nuts – You could also use nuts like walnuts, pecans, or almonds instead. If using other nuts, chop them up before measuring 1/3 cup of chopped nuts.
Cheese – Pesto is often made with a combination of Parmigiano and Pecorino, although some make it with just Parmigiano or just Pecorino. You could try different variations (just Parmigiano, just Pecorino, or a mix of Pecorino and Parmigiano) to decide which one you like the best. I tried all these combinations, and they’re all delicious. Whichever one you get, don’t get the pre-grated cheese. Get a block of it and grate it at home.
Equipment
I used a food processor to make the pesto. The food processor has been a super useful addition to my kitchen essentials. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a blender or do as our ancestors did and use a pestle and mortar (as I did in this step-by-step pestle and mortar pesto recipe on Nomad Paradise).
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1 – Add the basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, salt, and pepper to the food processor and chop/puree/blend for about 20 seconds. I like to add the garlic minced just so that incorporates easier, but you can add it whole and it will still chop up finely.
Step 2 – Add the grated parmesan and process it/blend it until it’s all very finely chopped.
Step 3 – While processing/blending, slowly add the olive oil. Adding it slowly while blending/processing it helps emulsify the pesto.
Step 4 – Taste it and adjust it to your preference, adding more parmesan, salt, garlic, or olive oil.
Serve it in a bowl with fresh basil on top. If you’re not using it in sauces and dishes, your dinner guests can help themselves to as much as they like!
Serving Ideas
There is no end to the fun you can have with homemade pesto. If you want some ideas, however, you’ll find a couple of my personal favorites below.
For a quick and easy pasta dish, give my basil pesto pasta recipe a try. It can be ready in 15 minutes, and you can add lots of extra toppings, like grilled chicken or marinated chili shrimp.
For a hearty lunch, look no further than my pesto chicken bagel. Here, I coat grilled chicken with the pesto, and serve it in a bagel with creamy mozzarella, juicy tomatoes, and arugula. Wrap it up, take it to work, and enjoy!
What dishes did you use my homemade pesto in? I’d love to know in the comments. Oh, and beware – once you’ve made your own pesto, it’s difficult to go back to store-bought!
Recipe Card
Homemade Fresh Basil Pesto
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves (packed) (about 4.2oz or 120 grams)
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup freshly-grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- pinch of kosher salt
- pinch of black pepper
Instructions
- Add the basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, salt, and pepper to the food processor and chop/puree/blend for about 20 seconds. I like to add the garlic already minced just so that it's finer in the mixture and it incorporates easier, but you can also add it whole.
- Add the grated parmesan and process it/blend it until it’s all very finely chopped (it should take less than a minute).
- After everything has been finely chopped in the processor, while processing/blending, slowly add the olive oil. Adding it slowly while blending/processing helps emulsify the pesto.
- Taste the pesto and adjust it to your preference, adding more parmesan, salt, garlic, or olive oil to taste.
Notes
Pine Nuts – You could also use nuts like walnuts, pecans, or almonds instead. If using other nuts, chop them up before measuring 1/3 cup of chopped nuts.
Cheese – Pesto is often made with a combination of Parmigiano and Pecorino, although some make it with just Parmigiano or just Pecorino. You could try different variations (just Parmigiano, just Pecorino, or a mix of Pecorino and Parmigiano) to decide which one you like the best. I tried all these combinations, and they’re all delicious. Whichever one you get, don’t get the pre-grated cheese. Get a block of it and grate it at home.
Equipment - I used a food processor to make the pesto. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a blender or do as our ancestors did and use a pestle and mortar.
You Might Also Like to Try
Save my homemade pesto recipe to one of your recipe boards. There’s so many dishes you can use pesto in, so it’s always good to have a recipe like this on-hand.
