Homemade Pesto

There's no better way to take advantage of fresh summer basil than with a traditional homemade pesto sauce! The easy recipe is ready in just 10 minutes.

Course condiment

Cuisine Italian

Keyword homemade pesto, homemade pesto sauce, traditional pesto recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 0 minutes

0 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings tablespoons (about ¾ cup total)

Calories 108kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, peeled
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
½ cup olive oil (or more as needed to reach desired consistency)
Black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Place the Parmesan, pine nuts, garlic cloves and salt in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the basil to the food processor, and slowly drizzle in the olive oil while pulsing. Process until the sauce comes together in a uniform, creamy consistency, scraping down the sides occasionally and adding extra olive oil, if necessary.
Taste and season with additional salt and black pepper, if desired.

Notes

This recipe yields enough sauce for about 1 lb. (or 1.5 lbs.) pasta. You can double the ingredients for a larger batch.

If you have extra pesto, place in an airtight container with the smallest top surface area. Pack the pesto tightly to eliminate air pockets, and pour a thin layer of olive oil on top. Then press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the oil before closing the lid. The homemade pesto will last in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Nutrition