Longbourn Farm

Simple Homemade Recipes & Farm Tips

  • About
    • Press
    • Contact
  • Cookbook
  • Meal Plans
  • Work with Me
  • Resources
  • Blog
    • Recipes
      • 30 Minutes or Less
      • Main Dish
      • Dessert
      • Breakfast
      • Bread
      • Appetizer
      • Side Dish
      • Soup
      • Salad
      • Drinks
    • Gardening
    • Chickens
    • Farm
      • Beekeeping
      • Livestock
      • Land
      • Horse
Home » Recipes & Tips » Homemade Pesto – Classic Basil Pesto

Homemade Pesto – Classic Basil Pesto

08/09/17 | Recipes & Tips

Jump to Recipe - Pin Recipe
Full of bold herby freshness, this basil pesto recipe is a real delight! Oh-so simple and a handy ingredient to have around - this pesto sauce can be added to pasta dishes or spread on crusty bread. No matter how you serve it, its vibrant green color and delicious flavor are just the best!Full of bold herby freshness, this basil pesto recipe is a real delight! Oh-so simple and a handy ingredient to have around - this pesto sauce can be added to pasta dishes or spread on crusty bread. No matter how you serve it, its vibrant green color and delicious flavor are just the best!Full of bold herby freshness, this basil pesto recipe is a real delight! Oh-so simple and a handy ingredient to have around - this pesto sauce can be added to pasta dishes or spread on crusty bread. No matter how you serve it, its vibrant green color and delicious flavor are just the best!Full of bold herby freshness, this basil pesto recipe is a real delight! Oh-so simple and a handy ingredient to have around - this pesto sauce can be added to pasta dishes or spread on crusty bread. No matter how you serve it, its vibrant green color and delicious flavor are just the best!

Full of bold herby freshness, this basil pesto recipe is a real delight! Oh-so simple and a handy ingredient to have around – this pesto sauce can be added to pasta dishes or spread on crusty bread. No matter how you serve it, its vibrant green color and delicious flavor are just the best!

Homemade Pesto!

What Is Pesto?

If you have never tried pesto sauce, you are likely wondering what is pesto. Pesto actually has a long history, with various forms of the sauce dating back to Roman times! But basil pesto sauce as we know it today is a classic Italian dish. Originating in Genoa in the Liguria region of Italy – pesto typically consists of basil, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, and cheese.

It’s this combination of ingredients that create such a yummy sauce – packed with flavor that adds a delicious richness to all kinds of dishes.

But, I have to tell you. I have only ever made my basil pesto recipe using pine nuts once! I know it’s not traditional, but I like to use up what I already have in my kitchen. Any mild-tasting nut will work perfectly in this pesto sauce recipe. Pecans are my usual nut of choice as I cook with them quite a lot – but walnuts and even sunflower seeds work fine!

Once you blend all the ingredients together, you won’t even notice the difference – trust me! The aroma of freshly chopped basil and garlic is just divine! And then there’s that heavenly combination of flavors, the herby-ness of basil, a hint of nuttiness from the nuts, and saltiness from the parmesan cheese. It’s just so good!

Why You’ll Love Pesto Sauce

  • So versatile. Pesto sauce is so easy to make, and you can use it in various ways. Be sure to read until the end, where I share my favorite ways to serve this basil pesto recipe!
  • Ideal for using up fresh herbs. Growing your own herbs is so satisfying, but what do you do when you have a surplus of basil? Make pesto sauce! This is the perfect dish for using up your garden herbs or if you’ve picked up too many at the farmer’s market.
  • Great meal prep! You can freeze pesto sauce for up to 6 months – meaning you will always have a delicious sauce on hand for quick and easy meal ideas.

Ingredients For My Pesto Sauce Recipe

  • Fresh basil
  • Garlic
  • Nuts
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Lemon juice
  • Olive oil
  • Salt

For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.

Instructions For Pesto Sauce

  1. In a food processor (see note), combine basil, nuts, and parmesan.
  2. Blend until smooth.
  3. Gradually add oil, pulsing and checking consistency frequently. It should be about the consistency of a smoothie. Don’t add it all at once, you may not need it all. 
  4. Add salt to taste – I usually add a little less than I normally would and then make the final seasoning alterations when it is combined in whatever I’m serving it with (pasta, sauce, etc).
  5. Serve a few tablespoons over warm pasta (see note) or freeze in ice cube trays for later use. It also makes a great addition to sandwich spreads, creamy sauces, or bread!
Homemade Pesto!
Basil, parmesan cheese, sunflower seeds, and whole garlic in a measuring cup.
Blended basil and nuts and garlic in a measuring cup.
Measuring cup filled halfway with homemade pesto.
How do you store pesto sauce?

Once you have made your basil pesto sauce, it’s important to store it correctly. The best way to keep the flavor fresh is to store the sauce in an airtight container. Then place it in the fridge, which should last for up to a week.

What is the best way to freeze basil pesto?

I love having a supply of pesto sauce in my freezer! I freeze my homemade pesto in ice cube trays – then, when I am ready to use it, I can easily pop out a cube. This basil pesto recipe is good in the freezer for up to 6 months.

What is the best way to combine the ingredients in this basil pesto recipe?

I tend to use my food processor to make this pesto sauce. It’s simple, quick, and easy to use. All you need to do is place all the ingredients in the food processor bowl – then pulse until everything is combined.

You can also use an immersion blender. I have done this in the past, and it worked fine.

Can you use dried basil to make basil pesto sauce?

No, I wouldn’t recommend using dried basil for this recipe. The flavor won’t be as fresh, and the texture won’t be right, either. Fresh basil is essential for making delicious pesto sauce!

Homemade Pesto!

What different ways can you serve pesto sauce?

Now you know the answer to ‘what is pesto?’ – you might be wondering how to serve this delicious sauce.

  • Mix in with some plain pasta for a super simple midweek meal.
  • You can even use it as a spread in sandwiches!
  • This pesto sauce recipe is also great as a dip with crostini or
  • drizzled over roasted potatoes.
  • You can also dollop some pesto sauce on pizza,
  • add to soups and
  • mix it into homemade bread dough!

No matter how you choose to serve it, this basil pesto recipe will always be a winner.

Jar of homemade pesto, top view.
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote
Share on Facebook

Homemade Pesto – Classic Basil Pesto

Full of bold herby freshness, this basil pesto recipe is a real delight! Oh-so simple and a handy ingredient to have around – this pesto sauce can be added to pasta dishes or spread on crusty bread. No matter how you serve it, its vibrant green color and delicious flavor are just the best!
Prevent your screen from going dark
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Keyword basil pesto, homemade pesto, homemade pesto recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 16 tablespoons
Calories 62kcal
Author Longbourn Farm • Alli Kelley
Get ad-free recipes in PrepearLearn more about Prepear here!

Equipment

  • Redmond Real Salt

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves packed into the cup
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/4 cup nuts see note
  • 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup olive oil or enough to bring pesto to desired consistency
  • salt to taste
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • In a food processor (see note), combine basil, nuts, and parmesan.
  • Blend until smooth.
  • Gradually add oil, pulsing and checking consistency frequently. It should be about the consistency of a smoothie. Don’t add it all at once, you may not need it all. 
  • Add salt to taste – I usually add a little less than I normally would and then make the final seasoning alterations when it is combined in whatever I’m serving it with (pasta, sauce, etc).
  • Serve a few tablespoons over warm pasta (see note) or freeze in ice cube trays for later use. It also makes a great addition to sandwich spreads, creamy sauces, or bread!
Follow me on YouTube!Watch more videos and subscribe!

Notes

Almost any mild flavored, raw nut will work in this recipe. I use pecans most often but walnuts, pine nuts, and sunflower seeds also work well.
I have also used an immersion blender to blend pesto and it works fine.
The consistency of pesto can be altered in a pasta dish by using pasta water.
I like to use pesto sparingly, so I would serve only half of this recipe over 1 pound of pasta. Experiment to see what taste you prefer!

Nutrition

Calories: 62kcal | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 33mg | Potassium: 22mg | Vitamin A: 175IU | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 0.2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @longbournfarm or tag #longbournfarm!

Comments | 1 comment

« How to Make Freezer Jam
The Car Mouse »

Comments

  1. Alli says

    January 4, 2018 at 4:03 PM

    5 stars
    Such a fast and easy pesto recipe!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Hi, Friend!


Alli Kelley is an Agriculture focused entrepreneur. She runs a successful food blog, a consulting and coaching business, and all the social media connected with an online presence.

She also owns and operates a small, diversified farmstead where she enjoys home improvement projects, experimenting in the garden, creating profitable mini businesses on the farm, and of course, riding her big grey horse, Zane.
Read More…

Agriculture

Side view of a full DIY chicken waterer.

DIY Chicken Waterer Tutorial

posted in Animal and Land, Chickens, Farm & Family, Livestock

(sponsored)Are you wasting $2500 a year on food? Learn how to reduce food waste in your home and get the most out of your dollar and reduce your environmental impact! @beeffordinner #BeefItsWhatsForDinner #NicelyDone #beeffarmersandranchers

How to Reduce Food Waste

posted in Animal and Land, Livestock, Main Dish, Recipes & Tips

pasture full of cows

Where Does Beef Come From?

posted in Animal and Land, Livestock

Meal Plans + Ad-Free Recipes

less stress save time prepare ad
FTC Disclosure of Material Connection: The way I provide you with free content is through affiliate links and some of the links in the post above may be affiliate links, they will be marked in the post. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to YOU. Read terms here.

Copyright © 2023 · Longbourn Farm • Tasteful Theme by Restored 316

Longbourn Farm
  • Home
  • Cookbook
  • Meal Plans
  • Work With Me
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Recipes
  • Gardening
  • Chickens
  • Farm