How to Make Easy Homemade Basil Pesto. This recipe is quick, easy, fresh, and SO versatile! Loaded with basil, pine nuts, garlic, lemon, and parmesan . . . this tastes like summer! PSST – I have ingredient substitutions and serving suggestions listed below!
If you love pesto, you’ll also love: arugula walnut pesto, avocado pesto, and pesto pasta salad.
Pesto is just the BEST, amiright?! It’s healthy, it’s uses fresh summer produce, it’s naturally gluten free, it’s so versatile, and it’s so FREAKING delicious.
I have 4 other pesto recipes (I’ve listed them below) and I think it’s hilarious that my 5th recipe is the first one that’s actually traditional. What can I say? I love putting twists on traditional recipes!
That being said, sometimes a classic is a classic for a reason and this easy homemade basil pesto recipe does not disappoint!
It comes together in a matter of minutes and tastes like summer.
It’s absolutely heavenly and I LOVE using it on pasta, pizza, bread . . . basically any kind of carb will do. 😉
Basil pesto ingredients:
- Pinenuts
- I’ve also tried walnuts, cashews, and pistachios
- Basil
- I’ve also tried cilantro and arugula
- Garlic
- Lemon juice
- I’ve also tried lime juice
- Parmesan cheese
- I’ve also tried nutritional yeast
- Olive oil
- I’ve also tried avocado and water as a substitute
- Salt
How to make homemade basil pesto:
- Place all ingredients into a food processor and process until well combined.
This recipe is fool proof!
How long will basil pesto keep in fridge? how to store pesto:
Pesto is best stored in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last for up to a week!
Can you freeze pesto?
You can absolutely freeze pesto! Check out this guide for how to best freeze pesto.
Serving suggestions on how to use pesto:
- Pasta sauce
- I LOVE this pesto pasta salad, but it would also be great for a hot pasta.
- Pizza sauce
- This pesto pizza recipe is a favorite.
- Risotto
- This pesto risotto is unreal.
- As a dip
- Bring on the fresh bread!
- As a spread
- Caprese Grilled Cheese <– coming soon!
What’s YOUR favorite way to use pesto?
Other delicious pesto recipes:
As you can see by the many recipes, I wasn’t kidding when I said I LOVE pesto, ha!! Give it to me on a cracker, a spoon, tossed with steamy hot pasta, or spread over pizza . . .
. . . just gimme.
– Jennifer
How to Make Easy Homemade Basil Pesto
Equipment for this recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 2 cups packed basil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- salt to taste
Recipe Video
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.
- Place pine nuts onto prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in preheated oven for 5-10 minutes, or until nuts are golden brown.
- Place all ingredients into food processor and process until well combined.
- Serve with pasta, pizza, crackers, bread, etc!
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Nutrition Information
*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.