A classic and basic recipe for how to make basil pesto (A.K.A the best sauce in the world). Made with only five ingredients this intense, flavour packed basil pesto is perfect for dressing pasta, salads, on sandwiches, pizza and so much more!
This has to be my favourite "sauce" ever, I mean whoever discovered that fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, pecorino (or parmesan), and olive oil all mashed together makes the most incredible tasting green gold that makes anything and everything taste good (seriously) THANK YOU!
Pesto Alla Genovese - Where it Comes From
Basil pesto originates from Genoa, Liguria and is traditionally made in a mortar and pestle. The authentic recipe uses pine nuts although if you don't have them cashews, pistachios, almonds and walnuts all make great substitutes it's also delicious with a little chilli kick.
I had it this way once in a small family restaurant in Siena and it inspired me to create this gnocchi with walnut and chilli pesto recipe check out the recipe if you fancy adding a little spice to your pesto.
How to make basil pesto - step by step
Ingredients you'll need;
- Basil
- Pine nuts
- Garlic
- Pecorino or Parmesan cheese
- Olive oil
Add all the ingredients to a bowl and blitz everything together using a hand-held (immersion) blender to create a smooth sauce (add more olive oil if necessary).
Super easy right? Boil some pasta and toss the pesto through it, dress spinach for a side or salad or spread it on sandwiches. Also be sure to check out my sun-dried tomato pesto recipe it's just as easy and can be used in so many ways.
Top Tips for Making the Best Basil Pesto
- Make sure to use fresh Italian basil for best results and don't use any with black spots or that has wilted
- Use good quality Italian olive oil
- If you don't have pine nuts you can replace them with cashew or walnuts
- Traditionally a mix of pecorino and parmigiano reggiano is used but you can use one or the other to keep the cost down
- You can keep pesto in the fridge for 1 day it may oxidise and turn brown so give it a stir to refresh it
More ways to use pesto;
- Pesto and roasted tomato pizza
- Pesto provolone cannelloni
- Sour cream pesto dip with prosciutto dippers
- Chicken pesto ciabatta
- Easy Pesto Gnocchi
More pesto recipes
- Pesto alla Trapanese (Sicilian Pesto)
- The Easiest Red Pesto Recipe (Sun-dried Tomato)
- Parsley Pesto Recipe - Fresh And Easy
If you've tried this or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I'm getting up to.
📖 Full Recipe
How To Make Basil Pesto
Ingredients
- 2 cups (30g) basil
- â…› cup (15g) pine nuts
- 1 clove garlic
- 3 tbsp (45ml) olive oil
- ¼ cup (25g) pecorino or parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Put all ingredients in a bowl apart from the salt and pepper.
- Blitz the ingredients into a smooth sauce using a hand-held blender (or use a food processor) then season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add more olive oil if necessary.
Notes
- Make sure to use fresh Italian basil for best results and don't use any with black spots or that has wilted
- Use good quality Italian olive oil
- If you don't have pine nuts you can replace them with cashew or walnuts
- Traditionally a mix of pecorino and parmigiano reggiano is used but you can use one or the other to keep the cost down
- You can keep pesto in the fridge for 1 day it may oxidise and turn brown so give it a stir to refresh it
Nutrition
- I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
- When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
- All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
- All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
- Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
- Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
- You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
Souz Dal
Looks great. In terms of basil, just place the leaves in the bowl...packed down?
Emily
Yep, just pack them in a bowl and use an immersion blender. Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Beth
i am a huge pesto fan lately! I've never really eaten it much but I've made 3 or 4 pestos lately. I have to say I like to add a little kick from some crushed red pepper on top of the pasta! Looking forward to your upcoming pizza!
Amanda
Your pesto looks lovely. It's such a fab colour and when it's so easy to make it's so much better to make your own.
Angela @ Allergy Free Angela
I have never made pesto, but this looks and sounds so delicious! You're photography is beautiful! 🙂
Nadja | Nashi Food
I never thought of using a hand-held blender. That is a great idea, and I agree that making your own at home if 10x better than store bought.
Michelle
Thank you for this! I've been using pesto a ton lately (sooo delicious!) but it's so expensive at the store. Looking forward to making it on my own instead. How long does it keep in the fridge? 🙂
Inside the rustic kitchen
No problem Michelle, I love making it at home it's 10x better than shop bought. Basil oxidises very quickly and turns brown, you'll notice this happening to pesto too after a couple of hours but it's totally fine to use. I would keep it in the fridge for 2 days, 3 max. If you don't plan to use it straight away then you can add a thin layer of olive oil on top and you should get an extra couple of days on top of that or you could freeze it.