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.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on May 7, 2025
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.
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.
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. Kale, cilantro 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
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
- 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
- (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.
- 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.
- 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.)
- 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.
Quick thoughts:
– I’m more pescetarian than vegan, but also lactose intolerant. We’ve been making pesto without cheese for years, and really, it just as good.
– We also make pesto with a lot of other greens. Kale pesto is great, Long-leave sorrel is plentiful in our garden, has a nice lemony flavor. We’ve also used cilantro, parsley, and anise. All have their strengths.
I’ve never tried to make sorrel pesto. Looks really interesting. My go-to recipe apart from basil is spinach+mint+pistachios.
Love this recipe.
Mandarina – spinach, mint, pistachios sounds amazing. I’m going to steal this from you!
Hmm at first when I saw the ingredients I was a bit afraid of using cheese but you got my back.
Thanks for the recipe. ☺️
I am so stealing this hack!!
I love to cook so I always love to see different ways to make many dishes. I had never come across this hack and when I read it I was like “I am so stealing her hack” thank you so much x
It’s really good and flavorful. It’s a nice change from regular tomato sauce pasta I’m used to. I used pecorino Romano which is sheep parmesan cheese instead of regular parmesan. I will make this again!
Thanks, Henry!
How long can i store it if its frozen? I like to try this in big batches, hard to go marketing all the time. Thank you
Hi there! Frozen pesto technically won’t go bad if kept at stable below-freezing temps, but the flavor will start to diminish after a couple of months. Hope that helps!
Thanks, Henry!
I’m a Dad with no cooking sense or skill. Thank you so much for the easy explanation and guidance, it all made the world of difference, and the family ate it, with no complaints, amazing. Thank you.
My two basil plants have produced an abundance of deep green leaves this summer, so I was so excited to see your post for making pesto this morning. Thank you for the timely post.
Lucky duck! I hope you make some delicious pesto.
YUM! I am totally going to make this recipe. Going on next week’s menu.
Awesome! Let me know how it goes, Erica.
I’m wondering if you’ve ever had your pesto come out bitter? Once or twice when making it, it seemed to taste quite bitter — I used pine nuts one time and another kind of nut I can’t recall. I couldn’t work out what was causing it — the nuts, the basil or what. Any tips?
Hi Tania, some basil is more bitter than others. The problem could be in your nuts, though. If they have gone bad, they’ll taste bitter. I’d suggest always sampling a few nuts before adding them to the pesto to make sure they still taste fresh. Salt cuts bitterness, if it still happens again, you might try adding another pinch to see if that helps.
The later in the growing season, the more likely your basil could be bitter, especially if it has gone to flower.
If you continually pinch off flowers on basil or cut flowers off they will then leaf better. Flowers usually come at end of season but also when grown indoors under high-intensity lights.
Another great recipe from Cookie and Kate! So easy and yummy. I made it just as written. Reading about other variations made me remember that I once made pesto from garlic mustard, and very invasive “weed” in our area that is edible, and in wooded areas never in short supply! I had someone identify it for me, otherwise I’m not inclined to take my chances on unknown plants.
Am I understanding correctly -you toss pasta, the sauce, and pasta water together? I’ve never heard of this.
Yes, that’s the best way to make pasta! You just add a little bit of reserved pasta water back to the pot, maybe about 1/3 cup for 1/2 pound pasta.
You read my mind! I just made grilled cheese sandwiches with pesto last night and was thinking to myself that I need to learn how to make my own pesto. :)
How have I never thought of adding pesto to grilled cheese sandwiches before?! Definitely trying that!
I actually just posted my recipe yesterday (not like it’s difficult or anything to make grilled cheese), but you should check it out! I added turkey to mine though so they’re not exactly vegetarian. But so good! :)
Where can I check out your recipe for pesto grilled cheese?
Also when making pesto do you use leaves only or stems as well?
Hi! I don’t believe I have a pesto grilled cheese, but that does sound amazing! You will want to use the leaves. Let me know if you try it!
I use the skinnier stems that are still real tender…usually at the top of the plant where the new leaves are.
Can you can instead of freezing?
I always blanch my basil leaves for 15-20 seconds in hot water followed by a dunk in ice water before making pesto. This method will maintain a vivid green pesto for a week or so in the refrigerator
Thanks for the tip, Asha!
homemade pesto is SO MUCH better than than jarred store bought. Total game changer and it is so simple to make! Thanks for sharing your recipe – can’t wait to try it.
Thanks, Aimee! I hope you enjoy it.
I love how refreshing and simple a good pesto is – like this one! I just made a garlic scape pesto yesterday and subbed raw sunflower seeds (toasted) for pine nuts because, as you said, $$$$. It worked really well!
Oh, great! That sounds like a great substitution, Dana.
I made this yesterday. It was absolutely delicious as well as simple! Your tip about using the water from the drained noodles…WOW! It really did make it much easier to mix the pesto and pasta and it absolutely was the creamiest ever! Thank you yet again for a delicious dinner. I plan on using left over pesto for a vinaigrette dressing for a pasta salad for lunch today. I’m salivating just thinking of lunch and I’ve not yet even had my breakfast.
Yes! You can’t throw out all that starchy goodness in the water. I’m so glad you love it, Kathy. :)
I added some lemon vinaigrette and plenty of fresh veggies–that turned the leftovers into an awesome pasta salad! Twice nice!!
This is summer on a plate…….really wonderful! The only thing I did differently was to VERY briefly blanch the basil and then dry it well in a towel. I know that I can’t eat it all right away and blanching the basil keeps it a gorgeous emerald green right to the last garlicky spoonful.
Thanks for the tip, Ellen! I’ll have to try that.
i made this pesto with cashews, because that’s what i had on hand! also threw in a handful of kale from the garden and it was DELICIOUS. my husband & i both loved it, so we’re making it again this week for dinner. thank you for your recipes – they taste wonderful but without being fussy or intimidating!
Yum! I’m so jealous of your garden. I’m glad this came out great! Thanks so much for reading.
Was looking for a good pesto recipe, have never made one before. This was very good. I only made half the recipe because I didn’t have enough basil for the whole recipe and it worked out just fine with still some left over. I went to a local restaurant and they had a sandwich with hummus, roasted veggies, and pesto that I wanted to recreate. Delicious! Will definitely make again!
Deidre, I’m so glad you enjoyed your first pesto experience! That sandwich sounds stellar. I might have to recreate something like that for the blog! :)
Got a big bunch of basil from my farm co-op, so I made this yesterday from your cookbook, and froze it in an ice-cube tray. Now I have delicious little pesto cubes to add to soup, roasted veggies, and probably everything else! Today I’m going to try the same with leftover cilantro, parsley, maybe some arugula, and toasted pepitas.
Oh, great idea, Jeanne! I’m stealing that.
Love, love, love this recipe! I used pecorino romano in lieu of the parmesan and it was perfect. Froze the left-overs in an ice cube tray for later use. Thanks again Cookie & Kate for a fabulous recipe!!
The ice cube tray is a great idea!
Delicious! I used pine nuts. My husband said “restaurant quality”! (And we live in NYC).
Perfect Pesot!
I have 3 cups of basil a week from my CSA box and have been winging it when I make pesto with walnuts. I have tons of last summer’s batches in my freezer. This year I decided to follow your recipe and it is spot on! I used pine nuts this year. I think your proportions are on the money! Some of last summer’s batches taste too lemony, or not salty enough, but your recipe has the perfect balance. A quick sautee of garlic, cherry tomatoes and zucchini from my box, brown rice pasta and a few frozen cubes of your pesto, a little extra cheese and my day is complete; perfect lunch with perfect pesto!
Imperfect spelling! Perfect Pesto!
Thank you, Justina! I’m so glad you found what you were looking for. I tested this over and over again, so it’s awesome to hear that you loved the result.
Just made this recipe and its DELICIOUS.
Hooray!
Hi Kate. I’m planning to make this recipe, and I have made so many of your others. You are my first stop for a good vegetarian recipe, so thanks a million. I just wanted to ask if you knew that Parmesan Cheese is not vegetarian. I’ve only recently realized this myself. Just FYI, and again, thanks for all the great recipes!
Debbie
I use a similar recipe. Mine incledes lemon zest as well as lemon juice. I’m glad to see you recommend almonds as I’ve been afraid to try them. I’ve always use pine or walnuts. I will now try almonds. I also agree that extra basil leaves freeze very well.
Let me know how the almonds go, Maryanna!
Do you recommend NOT adding the cheese at the time of preparation if the intention is to freeze the pesto? Recipes seem to be split on this.
I just made this recipe with gorgeous basil from my Sydney city balcony (#cityfarmer) and it is soooo yum! Blanched the basil first as suggested by other comments – its radioactive green!!
Ps. I had pine mouth a few years ago and it is was an absolutely horrid 3 weeks. Don’t buy cheap pine nuts people.
I have always wanted to try and make this but always thought it was way too difficult so thank you for making it look simple it’s on my list to do tomorrow and hopefully as all your other replies have been it should taste wonderful thank you again
You’re welcome!
Made this with some roasted red pepper and spinach tossed in with the pasta… very tasty!
That does sound tasty, Mini! Thanks for your review.
Best recipe ever, I am not even kidding you! I made the vegan version yesterday and it turned out so creamy and SO heavenly. It’s my new go to! I also love your chili recipe! Thank you so much!!!
Delicious! That lemon really brightens up the pesto! I used a combination of pine and pepitas and also added the lemon zest and an extra squeeze of lemon juice. Planning to use it on a fresh corn and tomato salad tomorrow-if it lasts that long.
Sounds delicious! Thanks, Stacy.
The lemon juice gave it the perfect kick! I even added a little more. Great recipe.
Happy to hear that, Carol!
This is the best! I love the roasted almond flavor. Pesto has not always been a favorite of mine, but this was so creamy, nutty, and fresh. I actually used parmesan from the shaker, Aldis brand. I had basil I needed to use, cause starting to flower. Was so fragrant. Wonderful recipe.
Thank you, Janet!
Kate (and Cookie) this recipe was absolutely lovely! You gave me a great insight into why everything was needed too which was a great touch. I had fresh basil plants too which definitely adds a little more to the recipe. Thank you!
I’m happy to hear that! Thanks for the review, Bobby!
Thank you so much for a extremely exciting and easy recipe. First time I have made pesto and it tastes brilliant!! I did put extra salt in (my bad) so would need to watch that next time but other than it was brilliant!
You’re welcome, Muniba! Thanks for your comment and review.
Bonjour from Québec City!
I will do this recipe tomorrow, will let you know how it turned out! Love your website!
Marie-Josée
Hello! How was it?
I made a simplified (and low sodium) version of this for a sandwich and it came out really nicely! I didn’t use the cheese or salt and I ground it in the mortar and pestle because I didn’t want to bother with cleaning my food processor for a tiny portion. It’s too easy for how delicious it is, really. Thank you for the recipe!
Thanks for sharing!
I’m not a dairy person, and my favorite substitute for the cheese in my homemade pesto is hulled hemp seed hearts – in particular, Bob’s Red Mill brand, because they have a creamier consistency than others I’ve tried. I highly recommend this.
Thanks for your comment, Martha!
Bonjour!
Je suis assez puriste j’ai donc expérimenté des centaines de x le pesto genovese et une seule x j’ai utilise des amandes cela n’est pas concluant! il faut des pignons des vrais chers oui mais ce n’est pas pour rien…de plus j’y ajoute un super gros bouquet de persil en plus du basilic aussi largement et du frais moi, le surgelé, il est mort ce basilic là!!!l’ail oui mais une gousse moyenne suffit il doit juste sublimer le pesto et le sel pas trop car le parmesan vient en donner par contre j’ajoute tout en fin de préparation deux a quatre cuillères à soupe d’eau tièdie de la cuisson des pâtes cela rend le pesto crémeux et onctueux VIVA ITALIA ! merci pour votre blog anne
I just made a double batch and it was delicious. I had used a different recipe earlier this summer that did not include lemon juice. What a difference the lemon juice makes! I will use this recipe in the future.
Thank you, Lynn! I appreciate the review.
Can I place it in small canning jars?
I would like to gift it.
Can I water bath it without killing it?
Hi Christine, I’m sorry, this recipe has not been validated for canning safety, so please don’t try.
I think you still have the option to gift jars of yummy pesto to people, but just gift it fresh. From your fridge to their’s with an expiration date of a week. It would be such a nice fresh gift my grandfather did it all the time.
I’m not sure!
WOW! We just made your Pesto recipe and had it for Sunday Lunch. It was delicious! Normally I am not a big fan of pesto as it is very rich. However my husband LOVES it and we have a garden that blesses us with a ton of all types of Basil varieties. We followed your recipe exactly, even toasting the pine nuts, with the only exception being that we mixed the Basil varieties of Sweet and Thai (roughly equal parts). We quadrupled the recipe as well and are freezing the rest for future meals. We topped our pasta with chicken. Our 7 year old daughter also helped us prepare it all. She’s getting very good with her knife skills! This will be the ONLY recipe we use when we make it again and again!!! Thank YOU!
Love that! Way to plan ahead. Also, way to teach them young. Thanks for sharing and for your review.
I have tons of mint – can I make pesto with it? What, if any changes in your recipe should I make?
I would suggest making my fresh mint dressing! https://sooka.info/2018/fresh-mint-dressing-recipe/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
I made the recipe exactly according to your suggestions. Then, the next time I made it, added a bit more olive oil and lemon. Either way, it was a wonderful pesto sauce! Thank you for posting!
You’re welcome! I think those are great adjustments to meet your taste expectations.
Its beyond tasty its scrumptious . I just got given a bunch of free basil for the first time si decided to look online for recipe that require basilglad i found yours.Thank you for sharing . Give adorable Cookie a hug and kiss for me.
Thanks for your review, Melody!
First time I ever made pesto and it is delicious! It was a little bitter so I followed your instruction to add a pinch of salt and it is so good. I also used almonds- its what I had on hand
I’m glad you loved it, Cheryl!
First time making pesto and your recipe made it so easy….not to mention that it is delicious!!!! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Delaine!
I’ve made this twice in the last week. The lemon really is the secret ingredient that puts it over the top. Best pesto recipe, I’ll never make it any other way!
Great to hear, Jayne!
Great recipe specially the tip to use different nuts phone nuts are so expensive. Recipe turned out great
Thank you
You’re welcome, Gunther. Thanks for your review.
Dead easy and very yummy recipe! My basil was quite pungent from the farmers’ market so I added a bit more garlic and lemon juice to balance it. I also added a couple of grinds of fresh pepper to zip it up a notch. I now have my first 6 batches stashed in the freezer with more to come, just to tide me through next winter. So versatile with pasta, fish, chicken, and added to plain yogurt as a veggie dip or alternative to tzatziki.
Thank you for sharing, Susan!
Made this yesterday following instructions exactly as given. It was excellent, really tasty. I used a cup of basil leaves grown in the garden and had to buy a packet of fresh basil from the store to make up the two cup quantity. I will definitely make it again.
I’m happy to hear that, Angela!
My two basil plants are doing really well. I want to make pesto and wondered, can I make the pesto now and freeze to use later during the winter. I was able to buy pine nuts from Whole Foods on sale so I would make some with those and who knew you could swap out for almonds, yeah.
Hi Julie! I recommend freezing in ice cube trays. Let me know what you think!
Before going vegetarian I had never had pesto before. When I went vegetarian this is the first blog that I ever fell in love with. Since making this recipe for the first time, I have loved pesto. Every time I go out to a restaurant that has pesto I always try it. Yet every time, this recipe has been #1. A few drops of lemon juice really brings out the flavors in the salty parmesan cheese and the nutty flavor of the almonds. The best pesto I’ve ever had.
Thank you for stopping to say how much you love the blog and this pesto! I appreciate your review, Brynlee.
Recipe looks so delicious! Never made pesto before so tomorrow’s the day! Just brought in loads of basil from the garden. Question: would sunflower seeds or cashews work out better? (no pine nuts on hand)
You could try sunflower seeds. I believe others have had luck!
Made it with raw cashews (roasted a bit), and subbed Manchego cheese (sheep, similar taste to Parmesan). Delicious
Served it to friends & everyone loved the recipe—- Thank you!
Wow! Just wow! I don’t know why I have never made homemade pesto before today (maybe it was to wait for this moment to find the perfect recipe). I followed the recipe by using toasted pine nuts and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. I found that this recipe called for lemon juice that I didn’t see in others which added the perfect amount of acidity to balance. I tossed the pesto with fresh cooked spaghetti and it went so quickly! Can’t wait to make again and again!
Hooray! Thanks for sharing Sandy. It freezes well so you can always make extra to have on hand!