Homemade Basil Pesto Sauce Recipe

Homemade basil pesto sauce is packed with fresh basil, pine nuts, and parmesan, served in a bowl

Homemade Basil Pesto Sauce Recipe

You'll love this homemade basil pesto sauce recipe with parmesan, pine nuts, aromatic fresh basil and good olive oil. This easy pesto sauce recipe adds so much flavor to sandwiches, pasta, chicken, and more!

Prep Time5

Total Time5

Course: Dips & Dressings

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: servings

Author: Demeter Trieu

Equipment

Ingredients

1 clove garlic peeled
1 ½ cups fresh basil (1.5 oz or 44g), packed & divided
1/4 cup pine nuts or nuts/seeds of choice
1/3 cup freshly-grated Parmesan optional but recommended
1/4 to ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
1/8 teaspoon pepper or to taste
5-7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Add peeled garlic, half of the basil, pine nuts, parmesan, salt and pepper to a food processor (or do this recipe by hand with a mortar and pestle). Blend until finely chopped.
Add the remaining basil, blending until you get a paste-like consistency throughout, scraping down the sides as needed. Blend more for creamier pesto, less for chunkier. (I like it in between.)
With the food processor running on low, slowly pour the olive oil into the feed chute and blend until emulsified and uniform throughout. Add more oil for thinner sauce, less for thicker.
Check out my post for Tips and Substitution Notes.
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Notes

*You’ll want to stop before the tiny bits of pine nuts and basil get completely obliterated, but still far enough that it’s creamy.
Storing Instructions: Store basil pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Cover pesto with a layer of olive oil before sealing the container to protect from oxidization.
Freezing Instructions: You can also freeze this pesto for 1-3 months.

Nutrition