Summer in our garden is honestly all about tomatoes and basil. And there is no better way to enjoy the fresh herb than to make homemade Basil Pesto Sauce (Pesto alla Genovese). If you have 5 minutes & 5 simple Italian ingredients, you can make this easy pesto recipe.
Why this Classic Fresh Basil Pesto Recipe is the Best: This is a quick pesto recipe made in the food processor. It may not be made in the traditional way but it sure tastes like you took a trip to Italy.
I have always loved pesto. So when I visited Italy I had to order it as much as I could. I have not been to Genoa but less than 100km in Cinque Terre, pesto classes & many restaurants highlight this regional favorite. I had plenty & it was delizioso!
Freshly made pesto is always better than jarred or premade. So learn to make it & fall in love. In summer my go to quick lunch is Pesto Tuna Pasta. Ok, now we prep!
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Ingredients for Simple Basil Pesto with Pine Nuts
The items needed 100% represent what goes into a classic Pesto alla Genovese. It is just 5 time-honored ingredients.
This recipe is authentic. It is made with pine nuts, garlic, & real Parmigiano Reggiano. It's made without cream, lemon, or other nuts & seeds like walnuts. Nonna would say, "no - no - no!"
Use the best quality you can find to make this sauce exceptional. The bright fresh ingredients stand on their own with tons of flavor & texture.
Here are important notes for some ingredients:
- Italian Basil - fresh bright green leaves, stems removed
- Pine Nuts - raw & unsalted is best
- Garlic - whole cloves (do not use preminced or garlic powder)
- Parmesan Cheese - freshly grated only
- Olive Oil - good quality extra virgin is best
- Salt - optional, to taste
See the recipe card for full list, quantities, & any substitutions/variations.
How to Make Basil Pesto from Scratch
No need to work the muscles crushing everything in a mortar & pestle. Most people do not have one but may have a mini chopper or food processor.
That is who this recipe is made for. I make this in my large 12-Cup Cuisinart Food Processor but any size bigger than 3 cups should fit the full recipe.
Here are the easy steps for making homemade pesto sauce in a food processor:
- Wash and Dry the Basil plus Peel the Garlic
- Pulse the Nuts & Garlic
- Slowly Add Olive Oil & Process
- Toss with Pasta & Enjoy!
See the step-by-step instructions with photos below plus the recipe card at the end of the post.
Here is what the sauce will look like when complete. It should have tiny bits of cheese and pine nuts visible as seen here.I drizzle a bit more olive oil on the top to keep it from browning.
DO NOT heat this sauce or cook it in a pan or pot. It is meant to be enjoyed fresh & bright as is - toss with hot pasta to warm it up a bit. Cooking it will brown the leaves & make it unappetizing!!!
Serving & Storing
Trofie is the classic pasta shape from Genoa; its tight twists and tapered ends hold the chunky-oily sauce wonderfully. Easier to find in the USA is rotini/fusilli or any penne/rigatoni rigate (the ridges hold the sauce well too)
What to Serve with Pesto Sauce : The classic Italian recipe is a quick & easy summer condiment that's also great as a spread on a Mortadella Sandwich, add to marinate for Grilled Tri-Tip Steak, drizzle on top of Cherry Tomato Soup, or add to Homemade Italian Salad Dressing.
Try it with almost any of my Italian Recipes, especially these:
The best pasta shapes for pesto include: gemelli, farfalle, angel hair, spaghetti, or gnocchi.
Recipe Tips & Behind the Scenes
Here's my recipe for success - including what I learned when testing, fun stories, recipe history, and more.
- #1 Tip - Use fresh quality ingredients and don't make substitutions!
- The term pesto means "to pound". Though this sauce is made in a food processor, you can use a mortar & pestle for an old-fashioned method that still comes out great.
- If you only have a mini chopper, you may need to make this in batches. This mini chopper fits 3 cups, big enough for this recipe.
- If you have tons of basil growing in your garden, don't miss making Crispy Sheet Pan Tomato Basil Gnocchi.
FAQ
If you make it ahead of time and do not cover it with a layer of olive oil - the air will cause the leaves to oxidize and turn brown.
Pesto is never cooked or heated up. If you are using pesto that is cold or refrigerated - let it come to room temperature for about 20 minutes and add to your hot food/pasta etc to warm up.
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Basil Pesto Sauce (Pesto alla Genovese)
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
- 1 bunch fresh basil leaves 2 cups
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- ½ cup olive oil divided; see steps below
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Prep the ingredients - wash & dry the basil leaves (remove stems) and peel the garlic cloves. Grate the cheese if needed. Set aside.
- Assemble your food processor with the S-shaped chopping blade. To the bowl of a food processor, add the garlic cloves, pine nuts, & 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Pulse until minced fine.2 cloves garlic, 3 tablespoons pine nuts
- Open the food processor bowl and scrape down the sides. Add the basil leaves and cheese, plus 2 more tablespoons of olive oil. Close up & again pulse until minced.½ cup Parmesan cheese, 1 bunch fresh basil leaves
- With the machine running and the top feed tube open, slowly stream in the remaining olive oil. It will become smooth and almost creamy. Stop and scrape the bowl down to check for chunks - run again until a smooth sauce develops. Taste and add salt if needed.½ cup olive oil
- Serving Tip: toss immediately with hot pasta. DO NOT cook or warm this sauce.
- Storing Tip: transfer pesto to a small jar. Top with a layer of olive oil to prevent browning. Refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Notes
- This makes enough for 1 pound of pasta, serving 6 people.
- It makes about 1.5 cups of pesto once prepped.
- Store in the fridge for 7 days.
- Top the pesto with a drizzle of olive oil before refrigerating. If you scoop out a bit for a recipe, let it come to room temperature, stir in the olive oil - use - and top any remaining pesto again with olive oil.
- This is made with raw unsalted pine nuts like it has been made traditionally in Italy. For a twist, lightly toast the nuts in a dry hot pan on the stove for 2-3 minutes.
- I recommend freshly grating the Parmesan cheese vs using a pregrated store-bought container like Kraft ( just don't!)
Nutrition
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