Easy Homemade Pesto Sauce Recipe
Bright, garlicky, and herb-packed, this easy homemade basil pesto comes together in minutes with fresh basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic, lemon, and extra-virgin olive oil—perfect for pasta, sandwiches, pizza, or dipping.
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Servings:
Calories: 120kcal
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed Stems removed; gently packed for accurate measure
- 0.25 cups pine nuts Lightly toasted for best flavor
- 2 cloves garlic
- 0.5 cups extra-virgin olive oil Good quality for best taste
- 0.5 cups grated Parmesan cheese Freshly grated, not pre-shredded
- 1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Brightens flavor; optional
- 0.5 teaspoons kosher salt Adjust to taste
- 0.25 teaspoons black pepper
Instructions
Preparation Steps
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until golden and fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool.
- Add cooled pine nuts and garlic to a food processor. Pulse several times until finely chopped.
- Add basil leaves and Parmesan. Pulse until the mixture looks finely chopped and combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- With the processor running, slowly stream in the olive oil until the pesto is smooth and emulsified.
- Add lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Pulse to combine, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 5 days. For longer storage, cover the surface with a thin layer of olive oil and freeze up to 3 months.
Notes
For nut-free pesto, swap pine nuts with pumpkin seeds or omit entirely and increase cheese slightly. If your pesto tastes bitter, try a milder olive oil or add a pinch of sugar. Thin with a splash of pasta cooking water for coating hot pasta.