Really Easy Pesto Recipe

Wondering how to make pesto sauce from scratch? It's easy! This fresh basil pesto recipe is perfect for pasta or chicken dinners or even as a dip for bread.

This homemade pesto recipe is super easy! You just need a handful of ingredients and a food processor. It tastes so much better than the store-bought variety.

Course Condiment

Cuisine Italian

Keyword homemade pesto, how to make pesto sauce, pesto recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5

Total Time 15

Servings (makes about 1 cup)

Calories 319kcal

Author Natasha Bull

Ingredients

1 cup (tightly packed) basil
1/3 cup pine nuts
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
2-3 cloves garlic minced
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

If you wish to toast the pine nuts, add them to a skillet over medium-high heat, and watch them carefully. After a few minutes, they will start to brown. Toss them often until they're lightly golden/browned on both sides. This whole process only takes about 5-10 minutes.
Prep your other ingredients and add everything to the bowl of a food processor except for the olive oil.
Pulse until everything is combined, then slowly drizzle the oil in while the motor is running on "low". Stop to scrape down the sides and continue processing until there's no large pieces of pine nuts.
Transfer to a jar, and store in the fridge for up to a week.

Notes

You can skip toasting the pine nuts if you wish.
Customizations: I encourage you to add more garlic, oil, or even red pepper flakes if you want it to be spicy. Play with the recipe until it tastes exactly how you want it!
This is my beloved Kitchen Aid food processor that I used to make this pesto.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition