Basil Pesto Recipe

This basil pesto recipe blends fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan into the classic Italian sauce in 5 minutes. A squeeze of lemon keeps every batch bright green and ready for pasta, pizza, and more!

Basil Pesto Recipe

Got fresh basil? Then run, don’t walk, to make a batch of my basil pesto recipe! This sauce is savory, garlicky, creamy, peppery, and you can slather a smear on anything. Is there anything better?

I love to use it to take pasta from plain to incredible, slather it on sandwiches, or throw it on a pesto pizza for maximum flavor. If you’re never made basil pesto at home, this is the recipe you need! I also have a few tips for making it more economical.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • It’s ready in 5 minutes. A food processor does all the work.
  • Lemon keeps it bright. It lifts the flavor and helps it keep its vivid green color longer.
  • It’s flexible. Pine nuts are traditional, but I love to swap in cashews or walnuts to keep it affordable.

5 Star Reader Reviews

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I have tried other recipes in the past and this is by far the best. I actually froze all of it and when defrosted added a little more olive oil, It was soooo delicious.” -Katrina

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Love this. I have tried other recipes and did not like the flavor but thought I would try pesto one more time. WOW was I glad I did! It is so good.” -Jane

What’s in Basil Pesto?

Basil pesto is a sauce that originates in Italy (the city of Genoa, more specifically). The word pesto comes from an Italian word that means “pounded” or “crushed”. A pesto can refer to any type of sauce that is crushed, but pesto alla genovese, the version of pesto from Genoa, is the most popular version. The traditional ingredients in basil pesto are:

  • Fresh basil: The star! You’ll need 2 cups basil so it’s cheapest if you’re growing it: but you can use purchased basil as well.
  • Pine nuts: These are the traditional nuts, but can be pricey in the US, so I’ll often use cashews. See the tips below!
  • Parmesan cheese: It brings the salty, savory notes that make pesto taste like pesto.
  • Garlic: Just enough to balance the flavor.
  • Olive oil: Extra-virgin olive oilgives the sauce its silky texture.
  • Lemon juice and salt: My two finishing touches for brightness and balance.

My Secrets to the Best Pesto

Pine nuts are traditional in basil pesto, but they can be pretty expensive here in the US. In this pesto recipe, you can use cashews or walnuts as a substitute. I’ve tested and both turn out fabulously! You can use any type of nut you prefer. My favorite is with cashews.

Another feature I added to my basil pesto recipe is a squeeze of lemon juice! It helps to brighten the flavors and takes this sauce to a while new level. It also keeps the sauce bright green during storage.

Basil Pesto

How to Make Pesto

Basil pesto is traditionally made in a mortar and pestle to grind the ingredients together, but modern recipes typically use a blender or food processor. You’ll simply blend up all ingredients, then add the olive oil until the sauce becomes creamy.

Here’s how to make basil pesto (or jump to the recipe):

  • Toast the nuts for a few minutes in a dry skillet, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
  • Place the nuts, Parmesan cheese, and garlic in a food processor and blend until finely chopped.
  • Add fresh basil leaves, lemon juice and salt. Start the food processor and add the olive oil in a steady stream. Add a bit more olive oil to bring to the desired consistency, if necessary.

Pro Tips For Working With Basil

When you harvest branches of your basil plant and bring them inside, they’ll wilt after about an hour unless you follow this trick! Place a little water in the bottom of a large ball jar, then place the stems inside, cut side down. Add the top and it will stay fresh for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator! (See my guide on How to Store Basil for more.)

For tips on growing and harvesting basil, go to this step-by-step guide, How to Grow Basil.

Variations To Try

One of my favorite things about pesto is all the riffs you can do on it. A few spins I make on repeat:

Basil pesto sauce

Storage & How To Freeze Pesto

Fresh homemade pesto keeps in the refrigerator for about a week in a sealed jar. For longer storage, you can freeze it. Here’s how to freeze basil pesto:

  • Pour the pesto into an ice cube tray and pop in the freezer.
  • Once frozen, remove the cubes and place them in a freezer safe sealed container.
  • When you’re ready to eat, you can pop out small servings of pesto. Place them in a container and allow to come to room temperature on the counter or in the refrigerator.

Ways to Use Pesto

Once you’ve made your basil pesto: what to do with it? There are thousands of recipes for how to use basil pesto online and in cookbooks. To help you sort through the clutter, here are my best recipes with pesto:

Basil Pesto Recipe

Dietary Notes

This basil pesto recipe is vegetarian and gluten free. For vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free, use Vegan Pesto.

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Basil Pesto Recipe

Basil Pesto Recipe
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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.9 from 8 reviews

This basil pesto recipe blends fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan into the classic Italian sauce in just 5 minutes. A squeeze of lemon keeps every batch bright green, and ready for pasta, pizza, and more!

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: Heaping 1 cup (about 18 tablespoons) 1x
  • Category: Sauce
  • Method: Blended
  • Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • ½ cup raw unsalted pine nuts, cashews, or walnuts*
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 medium garlic cloves
  • 2 cups loosely packed fresh basil
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup olive oil, plus additional as needed

Instructions

  1. In a small dry skillet, toast the nuts over medium high heat, stirring constantly, for about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the nuts to a bowl and allow them to cool slightly. (This step is optional, but brings out a more robust flavor in the nuts.)
  2. In food processor**, combine the nuts, cheese, and peeled garlic. Process until finely ground, 20 to 30 seconds.
  3. Add the basil, lemon juice and kosher salt. Turn on the food processor and gradually pour in the olive oil. Once combined, turn off the food processor. Blend in a bit more olive oil if desired, to achieve a looser texture. Stores for about 1 week in the refrigerator and several months frozen.

Notes

*Pine nuts are traditional, but can be expensive. We’ve tested both cashews and walnuts and they have great flavor. Since we often have these stocked in our pantry, we use these variations more often than pine nuts. 

**You also can do the same method using a mortar and pestle, adding the basil leaves gradually and crushing them against the sides of the mortar. 

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Sonja Overhiser
June 26, 2026 at 01:19PM

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