20-Minute Basil Pesto - Quick and Easy

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This recipe will show you how to make the best homemade traditional basil pesto from scratch in just 20 minutes! I also provide tips on how to preserve basil pesto and creative ideas on how to use this delicious sauce in simple everyday recipes year-round. Use basil pesto with pasta, pizza, chicken bakes, bread, or as a dip!  This recipe provides many helpful tips and step-by-step photos and instructions.

 

20-minute homemade basil pesto - quick and easy!

• There are very few sauces that can beat the flavor and the creaminess of homemade basil pesto. This delicious sauce adds so much flavor and texture to so many dishes, including pasta recipes, chicken dinners, grilled meats, and salads.
• Traditional basil pesto is easy to make from scratch and is easy to store.  It keeps well refrigerated and frozen.  It's one of those recipes you can make ahead.  Or, freeze it in ice cube trays and then use it year-round for easy weeknight dinners, meal prep, and other family favorite recipes!
• You can elevate and dress up numerous recipes with pesto. My favorite ways to use this sauce are in creamy chicken pesto pasta with roasted tomatoes and pine nuts and in this tasty one-pan basil pesto tomato mozzarella chicken bake. Both of these recipes are super popular on my website, and I highly recommend that you check them out if you love basil pesto!
• Basil pesto is keto-friendly, low-carb, and gluten-free.   It uses just 6 ingredients (not counting salt and pepper) and takes only 20 minutes to make! Pesto is made in a food processor or a powerful blender.

What sets this recipe apart from others

This basil pesto uses traditional ingredients such as fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese. It's a perfect sauce for pasta and other weeknight dinners. Here is what sets this recipe apart from others:

• Pine nuts are toasted in the oven to acquire a beautiful golden color. Toasted pine nuts taste so much better than raw ones, which adds depth of flavor to the pesto!
• Mayonnaise adds creaminess and great texture, as well.

The historical origins of pesto

• Basil pesto has its origins in Genoa, which is the sixth largest city in Italy located in the Liguria region in north-western Italy. Because of this, the original name for basil pesto is pesto alla Genovese.
• It is traditionally prepared (crushed) in a marble mortar with a wooden pestle. These days, of course, we use a food processor for more efficient preparation.
• Traditional basil pesto uses hard cheese such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino cheese made from sheep's milk.
• In Italy, pesto is commonly used with pasta and as a pizza topping.

Ingredients you need

• ½ cup pine nuts. The secret to the best-tasting basil pesto is toasted pine nuts! Toast them briefly in the preheated oven at 350 F for about 5 minutes until they acquire a beautiful golden color! Toasted pine nuts add a more pronounced and deep nutty flavor and are an excellent addition to basil pesto!
• 2 cups fresh basil leaves packed. Use only the freshest basil. Make sure the leaves are green and not brown, have no spots, and are not wilted. If you're short on basil, you can use half fresh basil and half fresh spinach.
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces). Use a block of Parmesan cheese and shred it yourself for the best flavor. The next best substitute is Romano cheese.
• 3 cloves of minced garlic add a ton of flavor!
• ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil. Basil pesto is the recipe to use the highest quality olive oil you can find.
• ¼ cup mayonnaise. Mayo adds creaminess and perfect texture to the pesto.
• Salt and pepper to taste.

How to make basil pesto

Below I provide step-by-step photos and instructions on how to make this delicious sauce.

1) First, make sure you have all ingredients ready to go.  This will speed up the whole recipe!

2) Next, you will toast the pine nuts in the preheated oven at 350 F for about 5 minutes. Watch the nuts and check them often as they can burn quickly!

3) Then, you will add fresh basil leaves into the food processor.

4) Add toasted pine nuts.

5) Add minced raw garlic.

6) Add freshly shredded Parmesan cheese.

7) Next, blend these ingredients for about 2 minutes. With the food processor in the off position, scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

8) After this, add olive oil and mayonnaise.

9) Blend for about 2 minutes or more until creamy. With the food processor in the off position, scrape down the sides of the food processor or blender with a spatula. Blend briefly again, if needed.

10) Finally, you can mix in extra pine nuts (whole and toasted) into the basil pesto if desired.

Recipe notes and recommendations

• Toast the pine nuts in the preheated oven at 350 F for only 5 or 10 minutes. Watch the oven carefully - the nuts can burn quickly. Toast the nuts until they acquire a beautiful golden color.
• Stir the pesto after it's been refrigerated (before using it). If your pesto has been refrigerated, make sure to stir it before using it as the oil can separate from the rest of the sauce.
• Can you use basil stems? Yes, add them to the food processor along with basil leaves.
• Make a double batch and freeze it. Use an ice cube tray to freeze pesto.

Variations

• Basil. If you're short on fresh basil leaves, you can use half fresh basil and half fresh spinach. You can even add fresh parsley or chives.
• Use other types of nuts. Walnuts work really well in place of pine nuts. Or, you can use both. You can also use toasted almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachio, or even macadamias!
• Cheese. The next best substitute for Parmesan is Romano cheese. You can also use Asiago. Keep in mind that both Romano and Asiago have a stronger flavor than Parmesan.
• Add other herbs. To make basil pesto with a different flavor, try adding other fresh herbs, such as thyme or oregano.
• Lemon flavor. Add a small amount of freshly squeezed lemon juice (or lime juice) and lemon grind to the pesto before adding oil for another variation.
• Add spice. Add red pepper flakes to add some heat to creamy pesto sauce, if you like things spicy.

How to preserve basil pesto

• Fridge. Store homemade pesto refrigerated in an airtight container for about 5 days. That's how long it will keep the freshest. Stir the pesto after refrigerating as the oil might separate from the rest of the mixture. For longer storage, freeze it.
• Freezer. You can freeze basil pesto for up to 6 months! The best way to freeze it is to add dollops of pesto into ice cube trays and freeze them. Once the pesto is frozen, release the pesto ice cubes into freezer bags and store them in the freezer. This way, when you need to use pesto, you just pull out one or two pesto ice cubes, defrost them, and use them in your recipes year-round!

Pasta recipes to make with basil pesto

One of the classic ways to use pesto is as a pasta sauce. Just tossing pasta with homemade basil pesto is enough to create a flavorful simple dish. However, you can go even further, and add chicken, shrimp, and veggies. Here are some delicious reader-favorite pasta dishes:

• Pesto Shrimp Mushroom Pasta
• Pesto Chicken Tortellini and Veggies
• Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Pine Nuts
• Chicken and Zucchini Basil Pesto Tortellini

Chicken recipes to make with basil pesto

Freshly made pesto and baked (or grilled) chicken make a fantastic combination. It elevates a baked or cooked chicken to a completely new level.  Don't miss these pesto chicken recipes for delicious weeknight dinner ideas:

• Basil Pesto Tomato Mozzarella Chicken Bake
• Pepperoni Chicken with Mozzarella and Basil Pesto Tomato Sauce
• One-Pan Pesto Chicken and Veggies (Cherry Tomatoes and Asparagus)

Other creative ways to use pesto

While pesto is often used with pasta, there are so many other ways to use it beyond just pasta sauce!

• Appetizer. Use fresh homemade basil pesto as an appetizer with your favorite veggies (such as carrots, cauliflower, or broccoli).
• Dip. You can also use it as a dip with chicken wings, chips, crackers, crostini, or toasted fresh bread. It is a crowd-pleasing party favorite that is perfect for holidays, cook-outs, BBQs, parties, and other friends and family gatherings.
• Pizza topping. Pesto pizza is one of the most delicious ways to use pesto. You can often find pesto pizza in Italy, so why not make it a topping for your own pizza at home?
• Salad dressing. Unsurprisingly, pesto can be used as a salad dressing in fresh salads (not just pasta salads). One of the most popular family-friendly recipes on this site is this super tasty Tomato Cucumber Avocado Salad with Basil Pesto. You can also use it as a salad dressing for chicken salads, tuna salads, salads with orzo, and with quinoa.
• Ravioli. For a quick and easy weeknight dinner, buy store-bought ravioli and dress it up with basil pesto, as in this flavorful Chicken Ravioli with Pesto and Veggies.
• Fish. Basil pesto is not only a great sauce for pasta, but it also works well as a garnish or topping for baked or grilled fish. Try this tasty Basil Pesto Sea Bass and Veggies (Asparagus and Sun-Dried Tomatoes).
• Shrimp. Pesto makes an excellent ingredient in many seafood recipes. This low-carb and keto-friendly pesto shrimp with mushrooms recipe takes shrimp to a completely new level.