Pesto is the EASIEST way to make a dish instantly more classy, and it’s SO easy to make homemade. It’s basically cheese and nuts crushed up with olive oil, with some intense fresh basil action going on. What’s not to love here? It’s the perfect sauce for pasta, chicken, beef, in salads or on sandwiches, as a garnish on soup, or—my favorite—as a dip for a charcuterie board! This recipe is foolproof.

A white bowl filled with green pesto sauce, garnished with fresh basil leaves, with a wooden spoon resting inside. The pesto appears chunky and glossy.

So the other day I’m in the kitchen making this pesto for dinner, and my 13-year-old son Truman walks in to throw something in the overflowing trash can. He bends over, tucks his trash in the side, and efficiently smooshes the top down a little bit, as one does.

Then, he pauses. He tugs at the corners. I’m curiously watching him. He pulls the edges of the trash bag up off the can. He finds the red cord that cinches it up. He lifts up the entire bag of trash, wordlessly throws it over his shoulder, and carries it out of the room like this is no big deal.

A bowl of green pesto with a wooden spoon, surrounded by pine nuts, fresh basil leaves, grated cheese, and a glass jar of pesto on a woven placemat.

I’m screaming by this point. At first, I was just pointing at him silently, my mouth bouncing up and down like a fish, no words coming out. Then, there were guttural exclamations of shock, with wild gestures. Then, as he walked out the door, came the real, actual screams, yelling at the top of my lungs to everyone in the house that MY TEENAGER JUST TOOK OUT THE TRASH AND NO ONE ASKED HIM TO DO IT.

The most hilarious part of all this is how completely nonchalant he was. He’s looking at me like I’M the crazy one, when HE just freaking graduated to a whole new level of evolution right before my eyes. I feel like I just watched a chimpanzee get up and walk on it’s hind legs, tipping his hat at me for good measure.

They actually grow up, guys. It’s crazy. I’m just going to eat my feelings over here. Today, it’s in the form of copious amounts of hot bread dipped in this insanely good pesto:

Close-up of a jar of vibrant green pesto sauce with a spoonful being lifted from the jar; fresh herbs are visible in the background.

You need this easy pesto in your life

Okay, I know what you’re thinking. Why make pesto when you can get it at the store? Well I will tell you. It’s SO MUCH BETTER. (With one exception, I’ll get to that later.)

With homemade pesto you are getting the real deal. Not filler soybean oil—REAL extra virgin olive oil. Not a mixture that’s mostly oil with only minimal cheese and nuts (the expensive ingredients). When you are in control, you can make it phenomenal, using the BEST ingredients. And it shows in the flavor. Plus, it’s fresh. Fresh herbs always, always, always taste best when they are…well, fresh!

Pesto cheat sheet

Here’s a little cheat sheet for how to get the best pesto:

  • Toast the pine nuts. It instantly doubles flavor.
  • DON’T skimp on cheese and nuts. We are using lots! I tested this using a blend of nuts (half walnuts, half pine nuts) and I prefer it with just pine nuts.
  • Use a high quality extra virgin olive oil. We need that flavor!
  • Use a blend of cheeses
  • Add a bit of lemon. This helps with brightness of flavor and also helps our pesto stay GREEN.
  • Add a tiny bit of sugar to help sweeten the pesto if you are working with mediocre basil.
  • Freeze your tools! Basil starts to brown and wilt instantly when it’s heated. Even the motor of the food processor will make it brown. Freezing even just the blade helps so much to keep things cool!

If you don’t use pesto in your cooking regularly, you are missing out! It seriously take about 10 minutes to throw together, makes a ton, and is such a versatile sauce. I’m in love.

A close-up view of vibrant green pesto sauce being blended in a food processor, showing a creamy, textured consistency with visible flecks of herbs and nuts.

The store bought pesto I swear by

It’s Costco, folks.

The Kirkland brand of pesto has an incredible ingredient list. It’s very similar to today’s recipe. They ship their basil in from Italy. For a store bought pesto, I don’t think you can do much better. I almost always have it in my fridge! I still think that homemade pesto has a brighter, fresher flavor, and I make it regularly, but if you are in a rush, Costco is your best bet for store bought.

Ingredients

There are only a handful of ingredients, so let’s go over the essentials for homemade pesto:

  • Fresh basil leaves are critical! They make up the bulk of the sauce and carry that perfectly light, herby flavor that makes pesto irresistible. You absolutely cannot substitute dried basil! If you have low quality basil, add the pinch of sugar that’s listed as optional in the recipe.
  • Pine nuts are the traditional nut used in pesto for the rich, nutty base. Toasting is a must for maximizing flavor!! Do not skip it!
  • Garlic is pungent and sharp, balancing all the rich flavors in the oil, nuts and cheese.
  • Parmesan cheese and Pecorino Romano cheese add salty tang and thicken the mixture into a velvety sauce. I love using two kinds of cheeses for the best flavor.

How to make basil pesto sauce

Here’s the lineup! Pesto is super easy to make, you just need a LOT of basil! (Hot tip: Watch for basil at the farmer’s market or on sale. Stock up, use it to make tons of pesto, then freeze!)

A collection of ingredients for pesto, including parmesan and romano cheese wedges, organic pine nuts, extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil, a lemon, garlic bulb, salt cellar, and a wooden pepper grinder on a marble surface.

First we’re going to start by toasting our pine nuts to bring out their amazing flavor. This step doesn’t take as long as you think but it REALLY amplifies the flavor of the nuts, bringing a richer, warmer flavor to your pesto.

The cool thing about pine nuts is that when you toast them, they multiply in the oven.

Two images: the top shows raw pine nuts scattered on a baking sheet; the bottom shows the same pine nuts after roasting, now golden brown and evenly distributed on the sheet.

See, there are twice as many now!! Just kidding 😂 I decided to double it on one of my test batches.

A white bowl filled with toasted pine nuts sits on a dark surface.

Don’t be afraid to bring them all the way up to a medium brown color. A good toast makes pine nuts SO tender and rich.

Now, grab some garlic and smash it up:

Two images show a large kitchen knife and garlic on a wooden cutting board. The top image shows the knife and unpeeled garlic, while the bottom shows the garlic partially crushed with the knife blade.

You don’t need to chop it, just toss it in the food processor with the pine nuts.

Two images of a food processor: the top shows pine nuts and peeled garlic cloves; the bottom shows the mixture ground with added salt and black pepper.

Pulse until it looks like this. Add in some salt and pepper.

Then prep the cheese:

Top image: Shredded parmesan cheese falling from a metal grater onto a wooden cutting board with a cheese wedge, digital scale, and measuring cup nearby. Bottom image: A cup filled with shredded parmesan sits on a digital scale.

I swear by using a blend of cheeses. Parmesan and Pecorino Romano are my favorites, but of course you can play with this if you want. They each have such distinct, rich, tangy flavors, and I think it just adds so much to a finished pesto to have both.

Two images: the top shows grated Parmesan cheese in a bowl and on a cutting board with cheese blocks; the bottom shows browned breadcrumb and cheese mixture in a food processor.

Shred the cheese yourself; the pre shredded kind won’t blend as well.

Then, add in the oil:

A split image shows the top view of a food processor: the upper half displays oil being poured onto chopped nuts or crumbs, and the lower half shows the ingredients blended into a smooth, yellow mixture.

I know it feels a little weird to go this far without adding the basil, but I promise we are getting there!

Several fresh basil stems with green leaves are spread out on a wooden surface, displaying their vibrant color and leafy texture.

Basil is a pretty delicate herb. If you’re not careful you will hurt her feelings, so take care. Don’t bruise her, or your pesto will turn brown. If she’s dirty and needs a wash, dry her off completely before blending (water will make her brown too.) Add her in to the mixture LAST so that she stays as fresh as possible. Freeze your food processor blade if you can, so things don’t get too heated up during the blending process!

We need about 2.5 ounces of basil for this recipe. I measured this after I had taken all the leaves off the stems, so make sure you buy at least 3-4 ounces of basil at the store.

A clear measuring cup filled with fresh basil leaves sits on a kitchen scale reading 2.6 oz. In the second image, a hand presses down on the basil leaves in the cup. Marble countertop and kitchen items are visible in the background.

It comes out to about 2 cups of basil, which is about 2.5 ounces total.

Because we are adding the basil last, it’s a good idea to give it a rough chop before tossing it in the food processor.

Chopped fresh basil leaves on a wooden cutting board in the top image; in the bottom image, basil leaves inside a food processor, ready to be blended.

Add it all in…

A close-up of vibrant green pesto being blended in a food processor, with the mixture swirling around the central blade and the texture visibly creamy and slightly chunky.

And voila! Here she is!

Squeeze in just a bit of lemon juice. This brightens the pesto just a little (without making it lemon-y). The acid in the lemon also helps the basil from turning brown.

A person squeezes a lemon half and adds a spoonful of salt to a green mixture in a food processor, preparing a sauce or pesto.

Give your pesto a taste. Did you get your basil from the grocery store, where it was shipped from a faraway land? If your basil is a little flat, your pesto will be a little flat. A quick and dirty fix for this is to brighten it up with some sugar. Not a lot!! Just a little bit, start with a pinch, and only up to 1/4 teaspoon max. We do not want sweet pesto. Basil is naturally sweet. We’re just helping it remember it’s roots.

Blend it up one more time, and that’s it’s! Your pesto is ready to top your Minestrone, or to be slapped on a Veggie Sandwich, or make Baked Chicken with it, or a Lasagna!

A close-up of a glass jar filled with green pesto sauce. A spoon is inside the jar, and a fresh basil leaf garnishes the top. The pesto appears chunky, with visible seeds and herbs.

My favorite thing to do with a homemade pesto is build a Charcuterie Board around it. Everyone is SO happy to combine bread and olives and cheese and pesto!

What to serve with pesto sauce

If I have fresh pesto on hand, I often find myself just adding a dollop to whatever I happen to be having for lunch or dinner (like this Minestrone Soup). It’s so good! But when I want pesto to be the star of the show, here are a few of my favorite main dishes.

Close-up of a jar filled with vibrant green pesto sauce, garnished with a fresh basil leaf. A spoon is partially dipped in the textured sauce, showing bits of nuts and herbs throughout.

How to store leftover pesto

Add pesto to an airtight container. I prefer to keep it in a mason jar to avoid staining any plastic containers. Keep the jar or container in the refrigerator. Top it off with a bit of olive oil to prevent browning. It will be good for about a week. It can possibly last longer, just check for signs of mold or rancidity before using. Or, even better, try freezing it!

Can you freeze pesto?

Pesto freezes amazingly, and it’s such an awesome thing to have on hand. It will stay good in the freezer for up to 6 months! You can put larger portions in a ziplock freezer bag if you are planning to use it in a recipe for a pasta dish or as a marinade for meat. Simply add the measured amount to the bag, try to get out all of the air, and seal.

Another great freezer option is to add the pesto into an ice cube tray. Each cube can hold about 2 tablespoons. Once completely frozen, pop them out of the tray and store the pesto cubes in a ziplock freezer bag. Now you have little nuggets of pesto deliciousness that can easily be added to any sauce, soup, or thawed in a bowl on the counter to put in a sandwich or dressing!

A glass jar filled with vibrant green pesto sauce, topped with a spoon. Surrounding the jar are pine nuts, fresh basil leaves, and a bowl of more pesto in the background, all arranged on a woven placemat.

More delicious sauces

The right sauce can take any ho-hum food and totally elevate it. Check out some of my favorites here, they’re all seriously amazing and so worth the effort!

Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

Want to save this recipe?
Just drop your email here and I’ll send it right away! Plus you’ll get new recipes from me every week. Yes please!
logo

Easy Homemade Pesto

No ratings yet
Prep: 10 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
Servings: 20
Close-up of vibrant green pesto sauce in a white bowl, garnished with fresh basil leaves. A wooden spoon rests in the sauce, showcasing its thick, textured consistency.
Pesto is the EASIEST way to make a dish instantly more classy, and it's SO easy to make homemade. It's basically cheese and nuts crushed up with some oil, with some intense fresh basil action going on. What's not to love here? It's the perfect sauce for pasta, chicken, beef, in salads or on sandwiches, as a garnish on soup, or—my favorite—as a dip for a charcuterie board! This recipe is foolproof.

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
  • 2 small cloves garlic
  • 1 and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, finely shredded, mounded (2 ounces)
  • 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, finely shredded, mounded (2 ounces)
  • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed, about 2.5 ounces TOTAL (buy 2-3 large bunches at the store)*
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 pinch granulated sugar, optional (only up to 1/4 teaspoon)

Instructions

  • Freeze: The first thing to do is put the blade of your food processor in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Put the bowl of the food processor in the freezer too, if you have space! This will help your pesto stay GREEN. The heat from the motor wilts basil lightning fast. Freezing the implements helps keep everything fresh.
  • Toast nuts. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add 1/2 cup pine nuts to a dry baking sheet. Toast for 5 minutes, then stir. Continue toasting in 1 minute increments, stirring each time (don't walk away!) until the nuts are turning light or medium brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.
  • Smash 2 small cloves of garlic with the side of a chef's knife. Use just 1 clove if your garlic is on the big side, you don't want to overdo it. You can always add more later.
  • Take the food processor out of the freezer. Add 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts and the smashed garlic, 1 and 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the bowl.
  • Pulse until the nuts are crushed into small pieces and the garlic is incorporated.
  • Shred 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese. Pack the cheese into the measuring cups, then mound the cheese on top. You need a total of 4 ounces of cheese (2 ounces of each kind.)
  • Add the cheese to the food processor and pulse until incorporated (see photos).
  • Add 1 cup extra virgin olive oil. It will feel like too much. Trust. Blend, scraping the nuts and cheese on the bottom of the bowl.
  • Prepare the basil. If you must wash the basil, dry it completely before adding to the pesto. Remove all the basil leaves from the stems. You need 2.5 ounces basil leaves TOTAL, which is about 2 cups. I measured my basil after I had removed the stems.
  • Add the basil to the food processor and pulse on low. Use short pulses rather than just turning it on, to keep the machine from heating up too much. Blend using pulses for 1-2 minutes, until the basil has been chopped into small pieces and the pesto is creamy.
  • Add 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice (you can just squeeze a little bit in, you don't need to measure it.) This will brighten the flavor a tiny bit, but more importantly, keep our green basil as vibrant as possible.
  • Taste your pesto. If you think it could have a little more oomph, try adding a pinch of sugar. Don't add more than 1/4 teaspoon. Sometimes the basil you get at the grocery store tastes flat. Adding a bit of sugar helps bring out the natural sweetness. Don't go too crazy, we don't want sweet pesto.
  • Add more salt, pepper, or lemon, if you like. Blend one last time and that's it!
  • Yield: This recipe makes about 1 and 1/2 cups of pesto.
  • Storage: Store the pesto covered in the fridge. Add a layer of olive oil on top of the pesto to protect it from browning. Pesto will last about 1 week in the fridge. After that, freeze!
  • Freezing: If you plan to use the leftovers all at once, add all the pesto to a freezer ziplock bag and seal. For smaller amounts, freeze the pesto in an ice cube tray (each cube is about 2 tablespoons or 1 ounce) and transfer the cubes to a ziplock freezer bag. Pesto is good for up to 6 months in the freezer.

Notes

*HOW MUCH BASIL: I wanted to take the guesswork out of exactly how much basil to add (because one person’s “packed cup” might be way more or less than another persons.) so I measured the final amount of basil leaves you need to go in the pesto, stems not included. Put 2.5 ounces of basil leaves in the pesto. You will need to buy 3-4 ounces of basil at the store, or 2-4 bunches, depending on the size. 

Nutrition

Calories: 139kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Potassium: 33mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 158IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 0.4mg
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Italian
Calories: 139
Keyword: Basil, Pesto, sauce
Did you make this? I’d love to see it!Mention @thefoodcharlatan or tag #thefoodcharlatan!

You May Also Like...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. I have a question about the amount of basil. Is each packed cup supposed to weigh 2.5 ounces? Or is the total amount to use 2.5 oz?

    Reply

    1. Hi Gloriamarie! The total amount in the recipe is 2.5 ounces. I will update the recipe to clarify! Thank you!

      Reply