Classic Homemade Pesto

Classic Homemade Pesto is a super versatile sauce that can be served in endless ways. Made with fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper, garlic, parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Such a bright green, creamy, fresh, and delicious sauce. Serve it with your favorite dishes such as pasta, chicken, fish, pizza, sandwiches, etc.

Classic Homemade Pesto

When it comes to pesto there’s no other sauce quite like it. It’s bright green color is so vibrant and makes it such a pretty sauce. The flavors are so robust, fresh and such a creamy condiment. You may have tried store-bought pesto before but nothing beats Classic Homemade Pesto.

It’s so fresh and delicious. Made with all the classic ingredients such as fresh basil, pine nuts, olive oil, and parmesan cheese. We add some lemon juice and lemon zest to elevate the flavor, not have to use as much salt and preserve it longer. Serve it with your favorite dishes such as pasta, chicken, fish, pizza, sandwiches, etc.

Ingredients needed to make Classic Homemade Pesto:

• Basil– Use Italian Large Leaf Basil for a classic pesto.
• Pine nuts– Make sure they are raw with no-added salt.
• Parmesan Cheese– Freshly grated is best!
• Garlic– Adds favor.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil– Use a good quality EVOO if possible.
• Lemon Zest– Do not skip this! It elevates the flavor so much!
• Lemon Juice– Adds flavor and helps your pesto stay fresh.
• Spices– Pink sea salt and black pepper.

Equipment needed to make Classic Homemade Pesto:

• Food Processor– If you don’t have one you can use a blender or immersion blender.
• Spatula– For mixing and serving.

How to make Classic Homemade Pesto:

• Step 1– Place all ingredients in a food processor; basil, pine nuts, parmesan, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, pink sea salt, and black pepper. Pulse on high for 30-40 seconds until smooth consistency is reached. 
• Step 2– Taste and add more salt if desired. Serve pesto in a mason jar or any airtight container. Keep refrigerated for up to 7-10 days.

Tips and Substitutions:

1. Start with 1/2 teaspoon salt when blending your pesto- You can adjust the salt once the pesto is done if desired.
2. Don’t skip adding lemon zest and juice- Not only do these elevate the flavor and raises the saltiness, it also expands the shelf life of homemade pesto making it last longer in the fridge.
3. Substitute for pine nuts- Walnuts are a great substitute. You can use any other nut like almonds or even pistachios.
4. Make it vegan friendly- Just use vegan parmesan or substitute for nutritional yeast.
5. Pulse your pesto not blend- Pulse in a food processor or high speed blender. Don’t use blended option as it will make your pesto too liquid. You want a crushed but creamy texture.
6. Toast your pine nuts– This will add more flavor to your pesto.

What to serve Classic Homemade Pesto with:

We love using pesto and making different varieties of this bright green sauce. Like we did in this delicious Avocado Kale Pesto Salmon with Asparagus recipe. It’s always a hit! We also love the classic taste of traditional pesto. Love using it in this fresh and tasty Chicken Pesto Pasta. The possibilities are endless when it comes to using pesto.

• Use as pasta sauce, or to spread on pizza or sandwiches.
• Add more oil or vinegar to thin out a bit and make a salad dressing.
• Use as a marinade for chicken, fish or fresh veggies.

Classic Homemade Pesto Variations:

1. Switch up nuts– Use other nuts like walnuts, pistachios, or almonds.
2. Make it nut-free– Use pumpkin seeds (pepitas) or hemp hearts for a nut-free version.
3. Make it vegan– Omit using parmesan cheese and use nutritional yeast.
4. Use other herbs– Instead of basil use other herbs like mint, parsley, or cilantro.
5. Add more greens– In addition to basil, add a handful of baby spinach or kale for more greens.

Classic Homemade Pesto FAQ’s:

What is classic Pesto?

Pesto is a bright green sauce that originated from Italy. The word pesto derives from the Italian word “pestare” which means “to crush”. The process of making pesto involves crushing its main ingredients; basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, and a hard cheese such as parmesan.

What is traditional Pesto made out of?

Traditional pesto is made out of fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, and a hard cheese such as parmesan. There are many variations of pesto out there and you can add ingredients to add more flavor and make it more to your taste. Salt is added to elevate the flavor as well as lemon juice and lemon zest. These also extend the shelf life of your pesto and make it last longer in the fridge.

What kind of basil do you use for Pesto?

There are a few variety of basil leaves out there. You can technically use any of them. However, for a robust and classic pesto flavor you want to use Italian Large Leaf Basil.

How to freeze Homemade Pesto:

Pesto us great for freezing and stock-up on in your freezer for later use. Add your pesto to a mason jar or freezer friendly container. Just make sure to leave at least good 3-4 inches of space on the top of the jar. The pesto will expand as it freezes so it will need some room to do this. I personally like to freeze increments of 1/2-1 cup of pesto per jar. I usually will double or triple the recipe and freeze most of it. It comes in handy for busy days/nights to make a quick lunch or dinner.

Another great way to freeze pesto is by using ice trays or silicone muffin pans. Add your pesto to ice trays or silicone muffin pan and freeze for a few hours. Once the pesto is frozen, remove from the trays or pan and place them in a large freezer bag. This method is great for freezing smaller portions of pesto to be used as a spread for sandwiches or pizza. Keep pesto frozen for 4-6 months.

Did you like this Classic Homemade Pesto recipe? You may also like these other condiments recipes:

• Easy Homemade Chimichurri Sauce
• Pickled Red Onions
• Loaded Guacamole
• Homemade Strawberry Chia Jam
• Homemade Vegan Mayo
• Best and Easiest Homemade Guacamole
• Homemade Cranberry Sauce
• Homemade Gluten-Free Gravy

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Classic Homemade Pesto

Classic Homemade Pesto is a super versatile sauce that can be served in endless ways. Made with fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper, garlic, parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Such a bright green, creamy, fresh, and delicious sauce. Serve it with your favorite dishes such as pasta, chicken, fish, pizza, sandwiches, etc. 

Course Condiments

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword Classic Homemade Pesto

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings 16 tablespoons

Calories 93 kcal

Author Angelica Arias

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh basil
• 1/3 cup raw pine nuts
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2-1 tsp pink sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor; basil, pine nuts, parmesan, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, pink sea salt, and black pepper. Pulse on high for 30-40 seconds until smooth consistency is reached.

2. Taste and add more salt if desired. Serve pesto in a mason jar or any airtight container. Keep refrigerated for up to 7-10 days.

Recipe Notes

1. 1. Start with 1/2 teaspoon salt when blending your pesto- You can adjust the salt once the pesto is done if desired.
   2. Don’t skip adding lemon zest and juice- Not only do these elevate the flavor and raises the saltiness, it also expands the shelf life of homemade pesto making it last longer in the fridge.
   3. Substitute for pine nuts- Walnuts are a great substitute. You can use any other nut like almonds or even pistachios.
   4. Make it vegan friendly- Just use vegan parmesan or substitute for nutritional yeast.
   5. Pulse your pesto not blend- Pulse in a food processor or high speed blender. Don’t use blended option as it will make your pesto too liquid. You want a crushed but creamy texture.
   6. Toast your pine nuts– This will add more flavor to your pesto.

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Nutrition Facts

Classic Homemade Pesto

Amount per Serving

Calories

93

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

10

g

15

%

Saturated Fat

 

2

g

13

%

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

2

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

6

g

Cholesterol

 

3

mg

1

%

Sodium

 

128

mg

6

%

Potassium

 

31

mg

1

%

Carbohydrates

 

1

g

0

%

Fiber

 

0.2

g

1

%

Sugar

 

0.2

g

0

%

Protein

 

1

g

2

%

Vitamin A

 

108

IU

2

%

Vitamin C

 

1

mg

1

%

Calcium

 

32

mg

3

%

Iron

 

0.3

mg

2

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*Number of total servings in estimated. Actual number of servings may vary depending on your own personal preference in portion sizes.

**Nutritional values shown are general guidelines for 1 serving using the ingredients listed above. These numbers do not reflect and may vary depending on substitutions, additions and/or different brands and/or other ingredients that may be used. 

**Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links and sponsored content. All the opinions are my own and I only recommend products I use in my own home with my own family.