Pesto Recipe

Basil – ideally, you want to get basil that is as fresh as can be. If you have an herb garden, that is perfect. Otherwise, you can always get basil in the produce department of your grocery store. 

Pine nuts – these nuts are preferred to use in pesto and the most traditional one. They have a subtle earthy, sweet flavor that is not overpowering. I do not toast my pine nuts because I truly saw no difference in taste when blended with other ingredients. Many people like to substitute walnuts but I find walnuts to have a strong flavor. I’ve successfully used cashews as a substitute but they tend to be creamier when blended. 

Garlic – fresh garlic is best, of course. No need to press or mince garlic before adding it to the food processor. Although, if using a large garlic clove, you may want to cut it in two or more pieces to make sure it’s blended well.

Cheese – use dry, aged cheese like Parmesan, Romano, Parmigiano-Reggiano, or Pecorino. My personal favorite is Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Olive oil – flavor of olive oil is key. If the olive oil you use has a strong, almost bitter flavor, it will affect the taste of pesto. Use olive oil that you know and like the flavor. I highly recommend that you taste the oil first, before adding to the blender. 

Salt – don’t use too much, remember that dry aged Italian cheeses tend to be quite salty. Start small and taste after pesto is blended to see if you need more.

When you make something so much, technique and amount of ingredients becomes a like a second nature. It also means that I’ve tried dozens of different techniques and variations. Since I originally posted this recipe in 2011, I’ve improved my recipe greatly and found the best and easiest way to make delicious pesto.  You truly don’t need 10 different steps and orders to add your ingredients. It literally comes out the same in the end. There are only a few rules that I follow: 

1- Make sure your ingredients are fresh and the best. In a simple sauce like that, each ingredient count. 

2– Add half the oil in the beginning and the other half while pulsing. 

3– Pulse, don’t blend.

4– Drizzle a little extra olive oil over the top of pesto after transferring it into a glass jar. I find it helpful to prevent the top of pesto getting dark. (Although, it is still completely safe even if it does get dark. That is simply oxidation.)

Freezing Instructions

Basil pesto freezes beautifully and you can portion it into small amounts of freeze 1/2 cup or a cup at a time.

Small portions: use ice cube trays and divide ready pesto among the cups. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the top of each cup. Freeze for 2-3 hours until it’s completely frozen and then transfer the pesto cubes into a freezer zip-lock bag. Label and place back in the freezer. 

Larger portions: transfer either 1/2 cup or 1 cup portions of pesto into freezer zip-lock bags. Get all the air out and seal each bag. Label and freeze for up to 4 months.

How To Serve Pesto

Pesto is so versatile, you can use it in many dishes from breakfast to dinner!

You can use it as an appetizer, dip, or spread on a crostini, crackers, and veggies.

Try mixing it with pasta or spreading it over meats like chicken and salmon.

You can add it to a white lasagna or a classic lasagna.

Mix it with Alfredo sauce in a simple comforting pasta dish. It’s also great mixed with gnocchi.

Add a dollop to caprese salad. (get some links in here) Spread some on my caprese bread (it’s divine!)

Some More Recipes That Use Pesto

• Cheesy Pesto Chicken Stuffed Shells
• Pesto Grilled Cheese
• Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken
• Pesto Roasted Potatoes Carrots and Asparagus
• Bacon Wrapped Mozzarella Pesto Stuffed Chicken