Everyone should have a great basil pesto recipe on hand for the season when fresh basil overtakes the garden and runs wild at the farmers market. Pesto is traditionally made in a mortar and pestle—its name is derived from the Italian verb pesta, meaning “to pound.” Here, a food processor is your friend and makes for quicker work. This easy recipe is classic in terms of ingredients: pine nuts, Parmesan, and garlic. If you’re willing to go a little off course, you could sub in another green leafy thing (like arugula or cilantro) for the fresh basil leaves; cashews, pistachios, or pecans for the pine nuts; or a different hard cheese, such as Pecorino, for the parm.
We love to use pesto as a condiment to top soup and pizza. A batch does two times the work in this recipe for pan-fried chicken thighs as a dual marinade and dipping sauce. Pair it with whatever noodles you have on hand for unbeatable pesto pasta. Or use it as a verdant addition to so many other dinner recipes.
Store pesto sauce in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week, or freeze pesto, portioned into ice cube trays, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to six months.
Editor’s note: This recipe has been updated to reflect that kosher salt should be used. If using table salt, use half the amount specified.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes about 1⅓ cups
Ingredients
Preparation
With food processor running, drop in garlic and finely chop. Stop motor and add nuts, cheese, salt, pepper, and basil, then process until finely chopped. With motor running, add oil, blending until incorporated.
Editor’s note: This recipe was originally published in the September 2002 issue of ‘Gourmet’ and first appeared on Epicurious in August 2004.
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Reviews (144)
Back to TopEasy and excellent. A great use of our basil crop!
Jo-Hanna
Seattle, WA
8/14/2023
I made this, years ago, substituted pecans for pine nuts; had 2 trees in the yard. Delicious; also used less salt.
Sandra
Burney, CA
5/22/2023
One of the most powerful recipes on the Internet.
oxycorgi
New York, NY
6/14/2022
Kosher salt works best in this recipe, and if you are using Diamond Crystal Kosher salt, a teaspoon is perfect. If using Morton brand, use a bit more than half of a teaspoon.
Anonymous
Los Angeles
6/9/2022
Hello? What kind of salt are you all using? Table salt would not be appropriate--it's best saved for salting pasta water or baking. Fine sea salt or kosher salt works best. If this recipe is made with quality ingredients and the proper salt (sea or kosher) it is not too salty. Make sure the basil is packed--that greatly affects the amount used. Also, don't forget, pesto is not meant to be eaten straight. It is a sauce for pasta! Please bear that in mind before going on the" too much salt" bandwagon.
acmm
NJ
2/21/2015
Way, way, way too salty. Inedible. Wasted a lot of expensive ingredients on this one -- pine nuts, basil. They should take this one down. Plenty of better pesto recipies on this site. Threw it out. Maybe the recipe author didn't realize that parmesean cheese has lots of salt in it. Also too much pepper. Blech
SanFranFreddie
San Francisco, CA
10/15/2014
What about freezing this pesto?
MaryVA
Arlington, VA
7/28/2014
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