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Easy Homemade Pesto Recipe

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4.3 from 33 reviews

This Easy Homemade Pesto recipe is a vibrant and flavorful sauce made from toasted pine nuts, fresh basil, Parmesan and Pecorino Romano cheeses, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil. Perfect for adding a burst of freshness to pasta, sandwiches, or as a dip, this pesto is quick to prepare using a food processor and can be stored in the fridge or freezer for convenience.

  • Total Time: 15-17 minutes
  • Yield: About 1 and 1/2 cups (serves approximately 20 as a condiment)

Ingredients

Nut & Garlic Base

  • 1/2 cup pine nuts (toasted)
  • 2 small cloves garlic (or 1 large clove)

Seasonings

  • 1 and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 pinch granulated sugar (optional, up to 1/4 teaspoon)

Cheese

  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (finely shredded, mounded, about 2 ounces)
  • 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese (finely shredded, mounded, about 2 ounces)

Herbs & Oil

  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves (packed, about 2.5 ounces total)
  • 1 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

  1. Freeze food processor blade and bowl: Place the blade and bowl of your food processor in the freezer for about 15 minutes to keep the pesto green and fresh by preventing the heat from wilting the basil quickly.
  2. Toast pine nuts: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread pine nuts on a dry baking sheet and toast for 5 minutes. Stir, then continue toasting in 1-minute increments, stirring frequently until nuts are lightly or medium brown. Remove and let cool.
  3. Prepare garlic: Smash 2 small cloves of garlic with the side of a chef’s knife. Use only 1 clove if large to avoid overpowering flavor.
  4. Combine nuts and garlic: Remove food processor from freezer. Add toasted pine nuts, smashed garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper to the processor bowl.
  5. Pulse nuts and garlic: Pulse the mixture until pine nuts are crushed into small pieces and garlic is well incorporated.
  6. Shred cheeses: Finely shred Parmesan and Pecorino Romano cheeses, measuring 1/2 cup (2 ounces) each, and mound each on top.
  7. Add cheeses to processor: Pulse the shredded cheeses into the nut and garlic mixture until fully combined.
  8. Add olive oil: Pour in 1 cup extra virgin olive oil. Blend while scraping the bottom of the bowl to incorporate nuts and cheese smoothly.
  9. Prepare basil: Completely dry fresh basil leaves after washing. Remove all basil leaves from stems, measuring about 2 cups (2.5 ounces) of packed leaves.
  10. Incorporate basil: Add basil to the food processor and pulse on low with short bursts for 1-2 minutes until basil is chopped finely and pesto becomes creamy.
  11. Add lemon juice: Add 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice to brighten the flavor and maintain vibrant green color.
  12. Taste and adjust: Taste the pesto. If needed, add a small pinch (up to 1/4 teaspoon) of granulated sugar to balance any bitterness. Adjust salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste and pulse one last time.
  13. Yield and serving tip: This recipe yields about 1 and 1/2 cups of pesto. When serving with pasta, save a few tablespoons of pasta water to mix with the pesto and pasta for a silky texture without greasiness.
  14. Storage in refrigerator: Store pesto covered in the fridge, topping with a thin layer of olive oil to prevent browning. It keeps fresh for about 1 week.
  15. Freezing pesto: To freeze, place pesto in a ziplock bag for large amounts or freeze in ice cube trays (about 2 tablespoons or 1 ounce per cube) before transferring cubes to freezer bags. Pesto can be frozen for up to 6 months.

Notes

  • Freezing the food processor parts before blending helps preserve the bright green color of the pesto.
  • Toast pine nuts carefully and stir often to avoid burning, which would alter the flavor negatively.
  • If basil is not fresh or tastes flat, a pinch of sugar can enhance natural sweetness without making pesto sweet.
  • Always dry basil thoroughly after washing to avoid watery pesto and prevent affecting texture.
  • Adding pasta water when mixing pesto with pasta creates a smoother sauce and prevents greasiness.
  • Store pesto with an olive oil layer on top in the fridge to prevent oxidation and browning.
  • Use ice cube trays for freezing pesto in small reusable portions for convenience.
  • Author: Madelynn
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5-7 minutes (toasting pine nuts)
  • Category: Sauce
  • Method: Blending
  • Cuisine: Italian
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Find it online: https://allyumcooks.com/easy-homemade-pesto-recipe/