How to Make Pesto

Homemade basil pesto is easy! Follow this recipe to make pesto, plus learn how to toss it with pasta, freeze it, and make tasty variations.

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best basil pesto recipe

Let’s talk about basil pesto! Have you made homemade pesto before? It’s one of my favorite, ultra-flavorful sauces. I love to make it in the warmer months when fresh basil is in season.

Great pesto tastes fresh, herbal, nutty, garlicky and luxurious, all at once. Today, I’m sharing my favorite pesto recipe and my best pesto tips. I’ve followed this formula for years, and it never lets me down.

pesto ingredients

Homemade pesto is infinitely more tasty than store-bought varieties. Jarred pesto can be expensive, too. It’s cheaper to make your own,  and then you can use it liberally! While pesto always seems fancy and gourmet, homemade pesto is very easy to make in your food processor or blender.

Pesto originated in Liguria, Italy, where pesto is made in a mortar and pestle. (In fact, “pestâ” means “to pound.”) I don’t have the patience to crush basil by hand, one handful at a time, so I recommend using a food processor instead.

Watch How to Make Pesto

Uses for Classic Basil Pesto

Pesto is traditionally served on pasta, but don’t stop there. Add it to anything that could benefit from a jolt of fresh basil sauce. You can serve it cold or warm; know that if you heat it up significantly, it will turn a darker color.

If you’d like to incorporate vegetables, pesto pairs well with tomatoes, artichoke, eggplant, bell peppers, mushrooms, peas, new potatoes and cauliflower. Make a meal by adding pesto to any of the following foods.

  • Pasta: Generally speaking, the best pasta shapes for pesto are thin spaghetti or angel hair, twisted shapes like fusilli, and bow-ties.
  • Zucchini noodles: Use all zoodles or a combination of zoodles with spaghetti.
  • Pizza: Keep it simple with pesto and mozzarella, or add veggies like tomatoes, olives, or thinly sliced summer squash.
  • Sandwiches: Spread it directly onto bread or stir in mayonnaise to make a more mellow, creamy sauce.
  • Salads: Turn pesto into a lively dressing by thinning it with more olive oil and lemon juice, to taste.
  • Find more pesto ideas here.

How to toss pesto with pasta (off the heat!)

Basil Pesto Ingredients

Traditional pesto alla genovese is made simply with basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic, salt and olive oil. These healthy ingredients yield a rich and delicious sauce. I often change up the herbs or nuts and add a squeeze of lemon juice. Read on to learn why!

Fresh Basil

Pesto is the perfect use for your summer garden basil surplus, and you can freeze the extra for later. Don’t have a garden? My favorite sources for affordable fresh basil are the farmers’ market, Trader Joe’s, or those little basil plants (“living basil” or potted) from grocery stores.

Wash and dry your basil well before using it—wet basil waters down the flavor of the pesto and can turn it an unappetizing dark color. You can either shake the leaves dry and let them air dry on a towel or pat them dry.

Kenji from Serious Eats says you can use frozen basil leaves. If you ever have extra basil leaves—rinse, dry thoroughly, and put them in a freezer bag for future pesto!

Variations: Substitute arugula when basil is out of season. Kalecilantro and parsley also make lovely pestos. You honestly can’t go wrong.

Pine Nuts or Other Nuts/Seeds

Pine nuts are the traditional choice (did you know they’re actually pine cone seeds?). Pine nuts are tender, buttery and high in fat, so they yield smoother, silkier pesto. On the downside, pine nuts are prohibitively expensive.

Variations: I often save money by using raw almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios,  pepitas (green pumpkin seeds) or hemp hearts instead. Almonds are the most neutral option, so I used them for the pesto you see here. They’re all tasty in their own way.

I typically toast the nuts first to enhance their flavor and add an extra-savory edge to the pesto.

Parmesan

Parmesan is salty and creamy, and tones down basil’s anise flavor. You can use Pecorino Romano for a more prominent cheesy flavor. Parmesan is not typically vegetarian (it usually contains animal rennet), but Whole Foods and BelGioioso offer vegetarian varieties.

If you’re vegan or dairy free, you can use a smaller amount of nutritional yeast instead (see recipe note). Sometimes, if I’m in the mood for extra-bold pesto, I just leave it out altogether or sprinkle vegan Parmesan cheese on my finished dish, to taste.

Garlic

Garlic is a traditional component that adds aromatics and makes the pesto taste more interesting. Don’t skip it.

Lemon Juice

I always add a squeeze of lemon juice to my pesto to brighten up the flavor without adding more salt. It’s optional, but I think you’ll like it!

Salt

Salt amps up all the other flavors and reduces the bitterness of the basil. If your pesto doesn’t taste amazing on the first bite, try adding another pinch or two of salt.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Extra-virgin olive oil is the highest quality and comes from the first pressing of the olives. My favorite brands are California Olive Ranch and Trader Joe’s Kalamata olive oil.

Basil pesto pasta, featuring homemade basil pesto! Learn how to make basil pesto at cookieandkate.com

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Basil Pesto

  • Author: Cookie and Kate
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 1 cup 1x

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 119 reviews

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Homemade basil pesto is so easy to make! Learn how to make basil pesto with this recipe, plus learn how to properly toss it with pasta, and freeze leftovers. Recipe yields 1 cup pesto, which is enough to toss with about 12 ounces of pasta.

Ingredients

Scale
  • ⅓ cup raw pine nuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans or pepitas
  • 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves (about 3 ounces or 2 large bunches)
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

  1. (Optional) Toast the nuts or seeds for extra flavor: In a medium skillet, toast the nuts/seeds over medium heat, stirring frequently (don’t let them burn!), until nice and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour them into a bowl to cool for a few minutes.
  2. To make the pesto, combine the basil, cooled nuts/seeds, Parmesan, lemon juice, garlic and salt in a food processor or blender. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Continue processing until the mixture is well blended but still has some texture, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary.
  3. Taste, and adjust if necessary. Add a pinch of salt if the basil tastes too bitter or the pesto needs more zing. Add more Parmesan if you’d like a creamier/cheesier pesto. If desired, you can thin out the pesto with more olive oil. (Consider, however, that if you’re serving the pesto on pasta, you can thin it with small splashes of reserved pasta cooking water to bring it all together. See notes for details.)
  4. Use pesto as desired; there’s no need to cook it. Store leftover pesto in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 1 week. You can also freeze pesto—my favorite way is in an ice cube try. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag, then you can thaw only as much as you need later.

Notes

Make it dairy free/vegan: Replace the Parmesan with 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast.

Make it nut free: Use pine nuts, pepitas or sunflower seeds. (Pine nuts are technically seeds, but if you’re allergic to nuts, there’s a chance you’ll be allergic to pine nuts, too.)

Parmesan note: Most Parmesans are not technically vegetarian (they contain animal rennet), but Whole Foods 365 and BelGioioso brands offer vegetarian Parmesan cheese.

How to toss pesto with pasta: Before you drain your pasta, place a liquid measuring cup in the sink. Then, pour about 1 cup of the pasta cooking water into the measuring cup before you drain off the rest of the water. That pasta cooking water is pure gold—it contains starches that create a creamy emulsion and help attach the sauce to the pasta. Off the heat, toss pasta, pesto and small splashes of pasta cooking water together until you’re satisfied with the consistency (I used roughly ⅓ cup reserved pasta cooking water for ½ pound of spaghetti).

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

Kate and Cookie

HELLO, MY NAME IS

Kathryne Taylor

I'm a vegetable enthusiast, dog lover, mother and bestselling cookbook author. I've been sharing recipes here since 2010, and I'm always cooking something new in my Kansas City kitchen. Cook with me!

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Comments

  1. Nichole Joiner

    I made it andd I love it. I used pine nuts. Yes they are pricey however I dont make it that often but if I do I will try almonds. Thanks a bunch!!
    Nichole Joiner
    Livermore, CA

    1. Kate

      Great! Thank you fo sharing, Nichole.

  2. Shabnam

    made this yesterday, was amazing thank you!

  3. Rochelle

    Absolutely delicious! I appreciate the nut discussion. My bank balance appreciates it, too!

  4. Avis Picton

    My first time making pesto, and with my homegrown basil! I didn’t have enough Genovese for the whole recipe, so I used half Genovese and half Thai basil and the result was delicious!

  5. John Stewart

    I’ve made pesto before but not in awhile tried this recipe. Followed it exactly, but for me, it was way too salty, and yes I used barely the 1/2 teaspoon as suggested. I used fresh Reggiano, which is salty, so I’d be careful with the salt – start with a tiny bit – less than 1/4 tsp and add as needed.

    1. Kate

      I’m sorry you didn’t love this. Yes, be careful with the salt if that is an aversion for you.

  6. Natalie

    I really like using sun flower kernals. However I will try almonds next! Pesto chicken salad is amazing using this pesto recipe , thanks !

  7. Anita

    Hands down, the best pesto I have ever made or tasted. Super simple to make, with basil right from our garden.

    1. Kate

      Thank you, Anita! I’m happy you enjoy it.

  8. Chris Sorgi

    I made this for dinner last night and it was a big hit.

    1. Kate

      That’s great, Chris! Thank you for your review.

  9. Abla

    Great and very delicious .

  10. Jennifer Gehrlein

    I made this just now using walnuts and it is delicios! Thank you for the recipe!

    1. Kate

      You’re welcome, Jennifer!

  11. Sandra D

    I have some fresh herbs, so I got my almost 5 y.o. grandson to smell them.. he was “mmmm” after most of them, but the basil was his fave. He loves noodles (plain, with butter), so I said I’d make him some pesto spaghettini. When I brought out the green spaghetti, he turned up his nose at the green, but I insisted he taste it. He ate it all. I’ll be telling his mother about this success story :)

    Oh – what I did; I had about 1 oz of leaves, so I just guessed at the rest of the ingredients (I love that any recipe can be adjusted w/o ruining it) – I had some ground almonds, so that’s what I used for the nut). It made enough for three of us – grandma, grandpa and grandson.

    1. Kate

      I’m glad this one was a hit with your grandson, Sandra!

  12. Check Gantt

    Made this recipe and I love it. Wish it had a little more kick . Don’t know what to add to get it. But it is still delicious.

  13. Kerry Lawson

    My first pesto ever. Due to intolerance for garlic, I substituted a large shallot for the garlic, which worked out well. My husband says it’s his new favourite sauce!

    1. Kate

      I’m glad that worked well! I appreciate you sharing, Kerry.

  14. Alyssa

    Make this every summer with basil from the farmers market! My absolute favorite recipe for pesto.

    1. Kate

      That’s great!

  15. Lisa

    This is a wonderful recipe and a keeper! I haven’t been a fan of pesto in the past and my attempts at other recipes haven’t gone well. For something so simple, pesto seems a bit tricky to master. Well this recipe does it! I used pepitas instead of pine nuts and that, along with the addition of lemon juice, sealed the deal for me. I tossed the finished product with penne and topped with a lemon garlic chicken breast for a quick and delicious lunch! Thank you for this and all the wonderful recipes on your site!

    1. Kate

      I’m happy you enjoyed it, Lisa! Thank you for your review.

  16. Donna

    My pesto did not come out as green as yours. What should I do? Should I blend it more?
    Thank you

    1. Kate

      Hi Donna, how does it taste? I would go with that and adjust.

    2. Leah

      Blanching the basil before processing works a treat for getting your pesto nice and green! It is an extra step but so worth it!

  17. Neelima Lavana

    You recipe necessitated toasted nuts, and my son being allergic to milk/cheese, I used cashew nuts! It turned out fantastic!
    Thank you.

    1. Kate

      You’re welcome, Neelima! Thank you for your review.

  18. Gina Lansford Howell

    This was great. I served it with French bread, smoked Salman, olives, goat cheese, and grapes.

  19. Lynda

    Hi, I’ve made this recipe several times now. Love it! I used pine nuts the first few times, but switched to pecans. Still great taste. I freeze some, and it’s wonderful to pull out during a Minnesota winter and make a fresh tasting pasta or chicken dinner. Thanks for sharing your recipes!

    1. Kate

      You’re welcome, Lynda! Thank you for your review.

    2. Shobana

      Hi Kate!
      I have loads of Thai badil growing in my pots and didnt know what to do with it.My neighbour told me that she makes badil pesto many times and it is a great spread on bread slices.
      I love the fragreance snd the taste of the pesto .Need yo know some more recipes .Im from India.

  20. Lynn

    Made pesto for the first time ever using your recipe. My eyes crossed and I saw stars. I made sure to lick the food processor too. It’s. That. Good. Thank you for this recipe!

    1. Kate

      You’re welcome! I’m glad you loved it, Lynn.

  21. Kasia

    It was delicious, my kids really enjoyed it.
    Thank You

    1. Kate

      You’re welcome, Kasia! Thank you for your review.

  22. Pawan Mahimtura

    Superb just like most of your other recipes. I just know where to go for the best, easiest recipes – Cookie&Kate … I used pine nuts to be authentic to the recipe and as I don’t make Pesto often, it was well worth the luxury. Delish! Much love from Mumbai, India ❤️

    1. Kate

      I’m glad you enjoyed it, Pawan! I appreciate your review.

  23. Susan

    Hi! Just trimmed my basil plant & want to make this recipe. Do you think Pistachio’s would work, I have a Costco size bag lol

    1. Kate

      I haven’t tried it, sorry!

  24. Megan B

    This is amazing. Some of the best pesto I’ve ever had.

    1. Kate

      Hooray! Thank you for sharing, Megan.

  25. Kris Thawani

    Tried the presto sauce your way turned out yummy grilled chopped peppers red yellow green with mushrooms sliced n brocolli n added to the pasta. Roasting the nuts makes a big difference brings out the flavour. Thank you Kate!!

  26. Ines Wynendaele

    I used your recipe to make parsley pesto and it came out very nice. I added a little cayenne for pep.

    1. Kate

      Thank you for sharing, Ines!

  27. Colleen

    I love pesto, and had a few things to use up: pistachios, basil from the garden and olive oil from sun dried tomatoes. It all went together beautifully and is just delicious. I ground the pistachios first as I had mDe pesto using them previously and ended up with nutty chunks, not this time. Thanks for another great recipe. I know I can always depend on them. I hope Grace likes pesto.

    1. Kate

      You’re welcome, Colleen!

  28. Anna B

    This recipe worked really well! Even though I only had 1/2 cup basil and used spinach for the rest, it still turned out. Mic drop. Thank you so much!

    1. Kate

      Love to hear it, Anna! Thank you for your review.

  29. Kathy

    I discovered you two years ago, and you have been my go to for recipes. Pesto is a staple during the summer, so I haven’t looked for a new recipe. This is the first time I’ve used almonds, and the lemon juice brightens it up. Thanks for another great recipe.

    (Someone mentioned it was a bit salty. I used a 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/2 tbs. lemon juice. It works for us.)

  30. Sam

    I really liked the suggestion to use other nuts. I’ve made the Basil Pesto with almonds and brazil nuts. I like the brazil nuts the best. I frequently mix it with sundried tomatoes for a delicious pasta dish. Also it freezes well.

    1. Kate

      Thank you for sharing, Sam! I appreciate your review.

  31. Jackie

    DELICIOUS!! I’ve never made pesto before, but always wanted to try it! I used walnuts and toasted them and omitted the cheese…very,very yummy! Thanks for another great summer recipe, Kate!

  32. Koriander

    Outrageously tasty! I made this recipe with our fresh garden basil and ground almonds. Spread it as the base on a cauliflower pizza crust, topped it with firm tofu mixed with just salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, then topped that with fresh garden tomato. It was so, soooo delicious! Can wait to bring it to our next gathering. Also can’t wait to use your suggestion for how to smooth the pesto into a terrific pasta sauce. Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm!!

    1. Kate

      Thank you, Koriander! I appreciate you sharing how you served it.

  33. Elaine Leddington

    Can I freeze this if I make a double recipe?

    1. Kate

      Hi Eliane! Yes, that would work. I hope you love it!

  34. Jill

    Thank you SO much for always sharing such great recipes-this so my favorite food blog by far!!! Appreciate your generosity in sharing these delicious recipes.

    1. Kate

      That’s great to hear, Jill! Thank you for your review.

  35. haley

    I made this pesto and it was amazing!

    1. Kate

      I’m glad you loved it, Haley! Thank you for your review.

  36. Cheryl

    I made this recipe twice and both times the pesto become clumpy. I don’t know why. It seems like the cheese is clumping it up as it gets tossed with pasta water and pasta. Do you have any suggestions?

    1. Kate

      I’m sorry to hear that! Are you freshly grating your cheese or is it already grated. That will make a difference.

  37. Sherri May

    I’ve made a fair amount of pesto but this recipe was the best I’ve ever made or tasted. I think the lemon juice brightens it up. I used real pine nuts but will definitely try walnuts or other nuts in the future.
    Now I need to grow more basil so I can make another batch!

    1. Kate

      Thank you for sharing, Sherri! I appreciate your review.

  38. Mimi S. Rosenberg

    I made this last night with walnuts. It’s basically the same recipe in the book 365 Ways to Cook Pasta, except for the lemon juice which I omitted. It was delicious. I used Basil from my garden.

  39. Vel Helton

    Wonderful pesto, sometimes I use half spinach half basil. I’ve tried nutritional yeast sometimes and it works great.

    1. Kate

      Happy to hear you loved it, Vel! I appreciate your review.

  40. Parm

    Love all of your recipes. ❤️
    This pesto is so delicious!!!
    I just added a little more garlic to mine. I feel like I’m looking for an excuse to eat this with everything
    Thanks again

    1. Kate

      Great to hear! I appreciate your review.

  41. Bridget Dono

    Superb use of my bounty of basil! The lemon juice takes it to another level!

  42. Lolo

    Make a double batch! Delicious!!
    I might lighten up on the salt next time, can always add more later.

  43. GFGranny

    My go to pesto recipe for several years. I use toasted walnuts and Thai basil. Since one family member is vegan I sub nutritional yeast for the parmesan. Those of us who eat cheese think it tastes better that way as well. A family friend who didn’t think she liked pesto fell in love with this.

    1. Kate

      That’s great to hear! Thank you for your review.

  44. Chris

    I made this recipe today with my very own grown basil (I don’t cook much and it’s the first time I have grown basil!)! It was delicious! I used walnuts which seemed fine! I put it over pasta and it was a Sunday Happy Ending!!

  45. Billy

    Made it today with pine nuts. Very flavorful! I had to put my basil garden to good use. Thank you!

    1. Kate

      You’re welcome, Billy! Thank you for your review.

  46. Corita

    Hi Kate! I lived in Central America for 20 years and we didn’t have access to most nuts but an abundance of cashews. If you think about it, cashews have a creaminess similar to pine nuts. I thought they worked well (also toasted).

    Alice Waters (of Chez Panisse fame) published a cookbook recipe from a time when she was also south of the border and found mint to be a more accessible herb than basil so she used that in her pesto.

  47. Carlisle Wood

    I just made this recipe (using all pine nuts, and I didn’t have fine sea salt so used kosher salt instead). It was the best pesto I have ever tasted. Just perfect! We will use for a pizza today. Wish I had planted more basil.

    1. Kate

      That’s great to hear, Carlisle!

  48. Alexandra Herrera

    Beautiful flavor!, very easy to prepare. Thank you so much. I used walnuts, and Dubliner cheese instead.

  49. Wendy

    Made this with toasted sunflower seeds (avoiding a nut allergy in the family) and nutritional yeast (a dairy intolerance). Left out the salt. This was delicious on my sandwich today!

    1. Kate

      Great to hear, Wendy!

  50. Mary

    Made this, froze it and used it all in one day.
    Pesto thawed really easily and didn’t split at all in the freeze/thaw process. Delicious recipe.
    I used pine nuts, but an option that is a bit more cost effective for people is Sunflower Seeds. They work really well in Pesto, too.