Homemade Pesto Sauce

An easy homemade pesto sauce recipe. Wonderful on pasta, and just as wonderful as a topping for grilled meats, grilled or baked fish, and vegetables.

This homemade pesto sauce recipe is so delicious and fresh tasting. It’s one of my favorite condiments. Whenever I see a bunch of fragrant, fresh basil leaves at the store, I just have to buy them and make this delicious sauce!

The ingredients you’ll need

You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty sauce. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:

1. Fresh basil leaves. You’ll need about 1 cup packed. Wash and dry them before using them.
2. Minced garlic. You can mince a garlic clove or use the stuff that comes in a jar.
3. Pine nuts. Just 2 tablespoons add lots of flavor and a great texture.
4. Kosher salt and black pepper. If using fine salt and not kosher salt, use about half the amount listed.
5. Extra-virgin olive oil. It’s OK to use regular olive oil, but the extra-virgin is tastier.
6. Grated parmesan cheese. Make sure you use finely grated cheese and not shredded cheese.

How to make homemade pesto sauce

It’s so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:

1. Place the basil leaves, garlic and pine nuts in your food processor. Process just a few seconds, until coarsely chopped.
2. Add the salt, pepper and olive oil. Process until smooth and fully combined, about 30 seconds, stopping to scrape the sides with a spatula if needed.
3. Transfer to a bowl and mix in the parmesan cheese. That’s it! The sauce is ready to serve. Although the flavors actually develop more after it’s had some time to rest.

Why bother with homemade when you can buy it at the store?

I decided to make this homemade pesto sauce recipe after I looked for a jarred one in the supermarket, and discovered that inexplicably, all of them are made with soybean oil!

I’m not sure why, as the classic pesto is made with olive oil, which is tastier and healthier. Actually, of course I know why – to cut costs! Luckily, it’s very easy to make it at home.  The food processor does all the work for you.

How to use it?

The obvious answer is pasta and pasta salad. That’s how I started making this recipe. My friends S. and J. taught me how to make an amazing pasta salad with homemade pesto sauce.

But this sauce is also great for low carbers. It’s wonderful with chicken for example. This simple baked pesto chicken is wonderful.

This sauce is also great with seafood – check out this easy recipe for pesto shrimp. And it’s wonderful with vegetables! One of my favorite party appetizers is these very flavorful (and easy to make) pesto-stuffed mushrooms.

Is this pesto sauce recipe healthy?

I believe it is, as long as you don’t make it with refined, bleached, and deodorized oils (RBD oils).

Basil is very healthy, as are the other whole-food ingredients in this recipe. But do use olive oil. It’s not just healthier, it also tastes better than vegetable oils.

How long can you keep homemade pesto sauce?

You can keep it in the fridge, in an airtight container, for about 5 days. You can also freeze it for 3 months. It’s best to freeze it in ice cube trays or in small containers.

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4.96 from 25 votes

Pesto Sauce Recipe

An easy recipe for pesto sauce. Wonderful on pasta, and just as wonderful as a topping for grilled meats, grilled or baked fish, and vegetables.

Prep Time10 mins

Total Time10 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: pesto

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 180kcal

Author: Vered DeLeeuw

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves, washed and dried (40 grams)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

INSTRUCTIONS

• Place the basil, garlic and pine nuts in food processor. Process a few seconds, until coarsely chopped.
• Add the salt, pepper and oil and process until smooth and fully combined, about 30 seconds, stopping to scrape the sides with a spatula if necessary.
• Transfer to a bowl and mix in the cheese.

NUTRITION INFO Nutrition info is approximate. It is calculated using the SparkPeople.com recipe calculator, and the carb count excludes sugar alcohols. Please read the disclaimers in our Terms of Use carefully before using any of our recipes. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Please verify they are before using.

Nutrition Facts

Pesto Sauce Recipe

Amount Per Serving (2 tablespoons)

Calories 180 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Fat 18g28%

Sodium 257mg11%

Carbohydrates 1.5g1%

Fiber 0.6g3%

Sugar 0.2g0%

Protein 3.5g7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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