Easy Pesto Recipe
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This pesto recipe is a delicious and easy-to-make sauce that only requires five ingredients and five minutes of your time. You can follow the basic recipe as is or customize it with one of the suggested substitutions. It's a great way to add flavor to any meal.
There are so many tasty and fun ways to enjoy pesto like in our creamy pesto chicken, pesto stuffed roasted tomatoes, or pesto popcorn!
We love delicious food, especially when it's easy and doesn't require a million ingredients. Learn this everyday Italian pesto recipe and you'll have guaranteed amazing meals any day of the week!
You can say goodbye to store-bought pesto because all you need to make it is five ingredients, a few minutes, and a food processor. We also share a variety of ways you can change up the ingredients based on what you have on hand or what's fresh and in season.
It makes enough for four pasta servings, but it's a recipe you can easily double. Any leftovers freeze well so all you have to do is pull some out of the freezer, toss it with cooked pasta, add a sprinkle of parmesan, and you've got yourself a delicious restaurant-quality meal in minutes.
Easy pesto ingredients
This simple pesto recipe is versatile and all the ingredients can be substituted, but let's start with what you need to make this basic version as they do in Italy:
- Basil ā fresh basil leaves are the classic pesto herb. They're fragrant and subtly sweet with hints of mint and pepper.
- Pine nuts ā pine nuts have a soft, nutty flavor similar to cashews. They're another classic pesto ingredient that makes it savory and adds creaminess.
- Parmesan ā parmesan adds a salty, cheesy flavor that turns creamy when used in hot dishes.
- Lemon juice ā only fresh lemon juice will do! It adds acidity that brightens up and balances out the pesto.
- Sea salt ā sea salt makes all the other awesome flavors pop.
- Garlic ā a garlic clove adds a kick of pungent flavor. If you love garlic, add a few garlic cloves.
- Olive oil ā the type of oil or olive oil you choose will have a big impact on the overall taste of this pesto. We recommend using a good quality extra virgin olive oil.
How to make easy pesto
This easy homemade pesto recipe lives up to its name! Itās quick and easy-to-make and takes any food to the next level. Hereās how we make it in a couple of simple steps:
- Add all the ingredients except the olive oil and parmesan cheese to your food processor and pulse until combined.
- Slowly add the olive oil, then add the parmesan cheese.
- Serve it right away, or store it in a jar in your fridge for up to a week!
Easy pesto ingredient substitutions
Pesto is such a beautiful, flavorful sauce with endless variations. Use ingredients you love, herbs that are fresh in your garden, or what you have on hand.
Here are substitution ideas for each of the basic recipe ingredients:
- Instead of basil, try other fresh herbs like mint, cilantro, and parsley. You can swap it entirely, or use a mix. You can even add a generous handful of greens like baby spinach, kale, arugula, carrot tops, or even peas along with the herbs for a boost of nutrition and fiber.
- For the nuts, try swapping the pine nuts (which can be crazy expensive) for different combinations like walnuts, pistachios, almonds, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds. We tend to like to toast our nuts first to bring out their flavor.
- While parmigiano reggiano is classic for pesto, try other cheeses like pecorino romano cheese, grana padano, or even asiago. You can also leave it out completely for a vegan pesto, and use nutritional yeast instead.
- Fresh lemon juice is classic and harder to replace, but try playing around with the quantities to reach the tanginess that you love. Use extra lemon juice for pesto with fish, orange juice works really well with basil, and lime pesto works really well with cilantro.
- Garlic is unique and you either love it or loathe it, so add as much or as little as you like. Tasty substitutes include garlic scapes, shallot, chives, green onion (the green part only), or even lemongrass.
- While any oil will work, avoid using any flavorless oils like canola, grape seed, or sunflower seed oil. Try walnut oil, avocado oil, argan oil, pumpkin seed oil, or hazelnut oil. Each will add its own unique flavor.
What to serve with pesto
This homemade basil pesto recipe will transform everything from noodles to sandwiches, soups, fish and meat dishes, and even grilled veggies!
Pesto is one of those versatile sauces that makes everything it touches taste incredible. Toss it with pasta noodles, spread it onto a sandwich, use it on pizza, dollop it into soups, drizzle it over roasted meats or veggies, or simply enjoy it as a dip!
Try it in one of our favorite pesto pasta recipes
Recipe FAQs
How long does pesto keep in the fridge?
When stored in a sealed jar or airtight container, pesto will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. The best way to prevent it from oxidizing (turning brown) is to pour a layer of olive oil over the top before you put it into your fridge.Ā
Can I freeze pesto?
Yes, you can! We like to freeze pesto in an ice cube tray for individual portions that thaw quickly. It will keep in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Can I make it in a blender instead?
If you don't have a food processor, you can make pesto in a high-powered blender. You may need to scrape down the sides a bit more and use the tamper to bring the ingredients closer to the blade. You can also go old-school and use mortar and pestle, but it will take some serious elbow grease.
Popular pesto recipes
Easy Pesto Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups basil leaves (packed)
- Ā¼ cup pine nuts (lightly toasted)
- Ā¼ cup grated parmesan
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Ā¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- Ā¼ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Add the basil, pine nuts, lemon juice, garlic, and salt to your food processor and pulse until combined.2 cups basil leaves, Ā¼ cup pine nuts, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, Ā¼ teaspoon sea salt, 1 clove garlic
- Slowly drizzle in the olive oil with the food processor running. For creamier pesto, add more oil. Add the parmesan cheese and pulse to combine.Ā¼ cup grated parmesan, Ā¼ cup olive oil
- Serve the pesto right away or store it in a jar in your fridge for up to a week ā see notes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
If you love pesto as much as we do, check out all of our pesto recipes!
