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Fresh Pesto is one of those magic sauces that makes everything taste better, bright basil, nutty toasted pecans, sharp parmesan, and good olive oil whirled into a vibrant green spoonful of summer. I make a batch *every week* in basil season and the girls beg me to toss it with anything. If you love a quick Italian classic, our homemade potato gnocchi is the perfect thing to coat in it.
With one food processor and about ten minutes, you can skip the jarred stuff and have a fresher, brighter sauce than anything from the store.
Pesto Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: No cook
- ⏳ Total Time: 10 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 8 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 130kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Fresh, herby, garlicky, and nutty with bright basil
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, no cooking like our oven roasted tomato sauce
Quick Answer
Add fresh basil, parmesan, toasted pecans, garlic, salt, and pepper to a food processor. Pulse while slowly streaming in good olive oil until the sauce is smooth and vibrant green. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and it is ready to toss with pasta, spread on bread, or spoon over just about anything in about ten minutes.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Fresh basil is everything. A big handful of fresh, fragrant basil is what gives this sauce its signature color and herby flavor.
- Toasted pecans add richness. Toasting the nuts before blending deepens their flavor and gives the sauce a warm, buttery backbone in place of pricey pine nuts.
- Stream in the oil slowly. Drizzling the olive oil in gradually while the processor runs helps everything emulsify into a smooth, glossy sauce.
- Real parmesan matters. A wedge of parmigiano-reggiano grated fresh brings a salty, savory depth that the pre-shredded stuff cannot match.
- No cooking required. Everything blends raw in minutes, so you get maximum fresh flavor with almost no effort or cleanup.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is fresh, bright, and so much better than anything from a jar.
- It comes together in one food processor in about ten minutes with no cooking.
- It dresses up everything from pasta to sandwiches, the same way a great aglio e olio turns a few ingredients into magic.
Key Ingredients
Just seven simple ingredients blend into the freshest sauce. Here is what makes this pesto shine:
- Fresh basil: The star of the show. Use bright, fragrant leaves for the best color and flavor.
- Parmigiano-reggiano: Grate it fresh for a salty, nutty depth that pre-shredded cheese cannot match.
- Toasted pecans: A budget-friendly, buttery swap for pine nuts. Toasting them first deepens the flavor.
- Garlic: Just a clove or two adds a savory kick. Add more or less to taste.
- Extra virgin olive oil: A good fruity oil ties it all together, the same quality that makes our aglio e olio sing.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Make this pesto your own with a few easy swaps:
- Switch the nuts: Use classic pine nuts, walnuts, or almonds instead of pecans.
- Add greens: Blend in spinach, arugula, or kale for a milder, more economical batch.
- Make it dairy-free: Leave out the cheese and add a little nutritional yeast and extra salt.
- Use it as a sauce: Toss it with pasta or spoon it over our Italian meatballs for an easy dinner.
How to Make Pesto
- Add the fresh basil, parmesan, toasted pecans, garlic, salt, and pepper to a food processor.
- Pulse while slowly streaming in the olive oil until smooth, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Toast the nuts first in a dry pan until fragrant for the deepest, richest flavor.
- Pack the basil when measuring so you get enough for a bold, herby sauce.
- Add the oil slowly so the sauce emulsifies smooth and glossy.
- Do not over-blend, a few quick pulses keeps the sauce from turning bitter or pasty.
- Top with a thin layer of oil before storing to keep the green color bright.
- Stir a spoonful into soups like our Italian wedding soup for instant flavor.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
This fresh pesto is endlessly useful. Toss it with hot pasta and a splash of the starchy cooking water for a silky sauce, spread it on sandwiches and paninis, swirl it into soups, or spoon it over grilled chicken, fish, and roasted vegetables.
It is a natural partner for all things Italian. Coat a batch of our homemade potato gnocchi in it, dollop it over our homemade meatballs, or stir it into our oven roasted tomato sauce for extra depth.
Hosting an Italian night? Set out crusty bread and this sauce for dipping, serve a big bowl of pasta tossed in it, and finish with a comforting bowl of Italian wedding soup. A little jar of homemade pesto makes the whole meal feel special.
Pesto FAQs
Add fresh basil, parmesan, toasted nuts, garlic, salt, and pepper to a food processor, then pulse while slowly streaming in olive oil until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning. The whole sauce comes together in about ten minutes with no cooking required.
Absolutely, and pecans are a delicious, budget-friendly swap. Toasting them first brings out a warm, buttery flavor that works beautifully in place of traditional pine nuts. Walnuts and almonds also work well.
Basil oxidizes and darkens when exposed to air. To keep your sauce bright green, press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface or pour a thin layer of olive oil over the top before sealing and refrigerating.
Stored in an airtight container with a layer of oil on top, it keeps for about five days in the refrigerator. For longer storage, freeze it in an ice cube tray, then transfer the cubes to a freezer bag for up to three months.
Yes, it freezes wonderfully. Spoon it into an ice cube tray and freeze, then pop the cubes into a freezer bag. You can drop a frozen cube straight into hot pasta, soup, or sauce whenever you need a burst of fresh flavor.
It is incredibly versatile. Toss it with pasta, spread it on sandwiches and pizza, swirl it into soups and dressings, or spoon it over grilled chicken, fish, eggs, and roasted vegetables. A jar in the fridge upgrades almost any meal.
Craving more? Our homemade potato gnocchi is the next Italian classic to toss in this fresh sauce.
Use it to make the most incredible chicken pesto sandwiches, pressed warm and melty.
Pesto
Ingredients
- 2 cup fresh basil packed
- ½ cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese freshly grated
- ⅓ cup high quality extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup toasted chopped pecans
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place the basil, parmesan, pecans, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor.
- Pulse while slowly adding in the olive oil until smooth. Taste, season with more salt and pepper if necessary.
Notes
- Easily double this recipe.
- This can be used in different dishes, see some of my ideas above.
- Other ingredients can be added to this, see above again for some ideas.
- This only takes 10 minutes to whip up from start to finish!
- This can be frozen, see above on how to do that.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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