Homemade Pesto
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This recipe for Homemade Pesto sauce is made with a combination of fresh basil, spinach, and toasted walnuts. It’s an easy, delicious, and versatile sauce that brightens up everything from pasta and seafood to steak and chicken.
Easy Homemade Pesto Recipe
Making this homemade basil pesto is so easy that you’ll never buy store-bought pesto again. Just throw the ingredients in a food processor or high-speed blender and blend until smooth. That’s all it takes. In just minutes, you’ll have a pesto sauce that makes the perfect addition to your favorite pasta recipes and many other savory dishes.
Unlike traditional pesto recipes, this one gets an additional healthy boost of nutrients from fresh spinach. But trust me, it has such a subtle flavor that no one will ever know it’s there. It’s a simple and tasty way to make your dishes both flavorful and nutritious.
Fresh pesto is especially delicious spooned over this Bruschetta Chicken and this simple Roasted Tomato Pasta.
Why We Love This Recipe
- Easy recipe – This wonderful recipe is made with a few simple ingredients you just blend in the food processor.
- Fresh basil flavor – Make this sauce with fresh basil to beat store-bought pesto any day.
- Beautiful color – The bright green spinach and basil add a beautiful pop of color to any dish.
- Great way to use basil – If you grow fresh herbs, this recipe is a great way to use up an abundance of fresh basil in the summer months.
Ingredients
- Walnuts – for the best result, you want to toast them first.
- Fresh basil leaves – basil is the main ingredient in any classic pesto recipe.
- Fresh spinach leaves – for a shortcut, you can buy the prewashed baby spinach from the produce department.
- Grated parmesan cheese – freshly grated works much better and creates a smoother texture compared to the grated parmesan in grocery stores.
- Cloves of garlic – you can use raw garlic, or you can roast it before adding it to the other ingredients.
- Coarse kosher salt and ground black pepper – added to taste to flavor the sauce.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – you’ll want to use a good-quality olive oil or avocado oil.
How to Make Homemade Pesto
Step One: Toast the Walnuts
- Toast the nuts in a medium-sized skillet on very low heat for 3-5 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Then, add them to the food processor.
Step Two: Add the Basil, Spinach, Nuts, and Cheese
- Next, toss in the basil, spinach, parmesan cheese, fresh garlic cloves, salt, and pepper.
- Pulse this mixture for 10-15 seconds until fully combined. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula and pulse again until all the ingredients have been combined.
Step Three: Add the Olive Oil and Seasonings
- While the food processor is running, add the extra virgin olive oil. Stop and scrape down the sides when needed.
- Taste to see if you would like to add more salt, pepper, or olive oil.
Step Four: Serve and Enjoy
- Use the pesto right away in a recipe, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Fresh Pesto Sauce Variations and Add-ins
- Nuts – If you don’t have walnuts or pine nuts, you can use almonds, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds instead. Just be sure to toast them first to give them a rich, nutty flavor.
- Cheese – Swap the parmesan cheese for Pecorino Romano, Asiago cheese, or any hard cheese you prefer. You can also use a combination of them if you’d like. For a dairy-free option, you can swap the cheese for nutritional yeast.
- Parsley – Instead of spinach, you can throw in some parsley with the basil.
- Citrus – Add a fresh citrus flavor by stirring in fresh lemon zest to the blended pesto.
- Spice – Add a little kick of heat with red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne. Add it after the pesto has been blended.
What Are Some Different Ways I Can Use Pesto?
- Pasta sauce – Toss pesto with your favorite cooked pasta for a quick and flavorful pasta dish. I love to add it to pasta with this homemade Italian Marinara.
- Pizza – Spread pesto on pizza dough as an alternative to tomato sauce, and top with cheese.
- Sandwiches – Use pesto as a spread for sandwiches with a variety of Italian meats and cheeses.
- Soups – Add a dollop of pesto to your favorite soups, like this Tomato Soup.
- Eggs- Swirl pesto into scrambled eggs or mix it into an omelet.
- Veggies – Serve pesto as a dip for fresh vegetables or as a topping for roasted veggies.
Is it Worth Making Your Own Pesto?
Once you try this homemade recipe for the first time, you’ll see that it is totally worth it. It tastes much more vibrant and fresher, plus you get to control the ingredients you use. If you have a basil plant, it can also be more economical than buying store-bought pesto.
How Long Does Fresh Pesto Last?
Homemade basil pesto can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container or jar with a tight-fitting lid for about 5-6 days.
Can I Freeze This Basil Pesto Sauce?
If you have leftover pesto that you do not plan on using within a few days, you can freeze it. My favorite way is to freeze it in ice cube trays that have lids. Then, I can take out just as much as I need at one time. You can freeze it in a freezer bag, just make sure you squeeze out as much air as you can to prevent freezer burn.
What Does the Word Pesto Mean?
The word “Pesto” comes from the Italian word “pestare,” which means “to pound” or “to crush.” This refers to the way fresh herbs are ground up using a mortar and pestle. Of course, you can still do it that way, but this recipe does it the easy way in a food processor.
More Recipes
Fresh Basil Pesto
Ingredients
- 3 bunches fresh basil about 4 cups packed
- 3 Tablespoons pine nuts
- 2-3 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 ounce Parmesan cheese grated
- 3 pinches kosher salt
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the pine nuts for 2–3 minutes until golden and fragrant, stirring often. Set aside to cool.3 Tablespoons pine nuts
- Add half the basil, half the olive oil, toasted pine nuts, and garlic to a blender or food processor. Blend until roughly combined.3 bunches fresh basil, ½ cup olive oil, 2-3 garlic cloves
- Add Parmesan and salt. Continue blending until a coarse paste forms, scraping down the sides as needed.1 ounce Parmesan cheese, 3 pinches kosher salt
- * Add the remaining basil, olive oil, lemon juice, and black pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy with a thick, pourable consistency.2 Tablespoons lemon juice, Freshly ground black pepper
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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