Pesto is one of my favorite condiments to keep on hand. Try these easy, fun pesto recipe variations to brighten pasta, salads, roasted veggies & more!
One of my favorite things about summer is the bounty of fresh herbs that are just outside my doorstep. Fresh herbs make any meal instantly more flavorful and beautiful. My favorite thing to do with all of those fresh herbs (aside from sprinkle them on everything) is to make pesto! It’s especially great for lazy summertime cooking. I like to dollop it on grilled vegetables, pasta, spaghetti squash, salads, eggs, toasted bread, pizza, sandwiches… you get the idea. With just a few easy steps, it makes anything an instant tasty meal, whether you feel like cooking or not.
What is pesto, and how do I make it?
Traditional pesto is a blend of fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, extra-virgin olive oil, and Parmesan cheese. With a food processor, it comes together in just a few steps:
- Pulse the nuts, lemon juice, and garlic in the food processor until they’re finely chopped.
- Add the basil and pulse again.
- Next, drizzle in the olive oil with the food processor blade still running.
- Finally, add grated Parmesan cheese and process briefly until combined. For vegan pesto, simply skip the cheese.
That’s it! It’s really simple to make, and it’s easy to vary according to the season or your mood. It will keep for a few days in an airtight container in the fridge, though its surface may start turning brown. As a result, it’s best to cover your pesto with a thin layer of plastic wrap or an extra drizzle of oil before sealing your container. This will keep it fresh and green!
Pesto Recipe Variations
Once you’ve made the classic basil pesto recipe, try changing it up! You can make delicious variations with all sorts of nuts, seeds, veggies, and leafy greens. Here are some of my favorites:
- Swap out the pine nuts for any nut of your choice! I particularly like walnuts, almonds, and pistachios.
- Make nut-free pesto by using pepitas or hemp seeds.
- Use a different herb. Try replacing the basil with mint, cilantro, or parsley!
- Or fewer herbs. Replace half the basil with 1 cup arugula, kale, or chopped zucchini. For a punchier twist, pulse in 4 artichoke hearts, a roasted red pepper, or half an avocado instead of half the basil.
- Don’t let your veggie stems go to waste. Blanch 1/2 cup kale stems and blend them into pesto in place of half the basil.
- Punch up the flavor! Add 2 to 4 sun dried tomatoes, a charred jalapeño, nutritional yeast, or a pinch of red pepper flakes.
The possibilities are endless – let me know if you have a favorite variation!
I made pesto! Now what do I do with it?
The obvious choice is tossing pesto with pasta, but your options don’t end there. Spoon it over a Caprese salad, top it onto a grain bowl, scoop it onto spaghetti squash or mac and cheese, or incorporate it into this yummy zucchini casserole. We love it on polenta and homemade pizza, too. It’s even great on scrambled eggs! Do you have a favorite way to use pesto? Let me know in the comments!
Basil Pesto
Equipment
- Food Processor (I swear by my Cuisinart one for a smooth consistency!)
Ingredients
Basic Basil Pesto:
- ½ cup toasted pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 small garlic clove
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups basil leaves
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for a smoother pesto
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions
- In a food processor, combine the pine nuts, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper and pulse until well chopped.
- Add the basil and pulse until combined.
- With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil and pulse until combined. Add the Parmesan cheese, if using, and pulse to briefly combine. For a smoother pesto, add more olive oil.
Could you use cashews instead of pine nuts?
Tragic waste of ingredients; the lemon utterly destroyed this recipe.
I liked the lemon, but yeah would half it next time. Maybe add in more cheese ?
This is a great basic recipe! I did need to make some additions to suit our taste but it turned out pretty well. I made a double batch and it was actually pretty sweet for some reason. I’m guessing it’s the basil I’m growing. Anyway, these were my additions, again, for a double batch: I blanched the basil and then added another cup of fresh, raw basil; about a 1/4 C. more olive oil; another tablespoon (or two) of fresh lemon juice; another 1/4 clove of garlic,and another scant 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt. It was still a bit sweet for us so I added 1/4 C. of fresh Italian parsley. Bingo! In for the win! Thank you for the recipe!
Can we substitute walnuts for the pine nuts? If so, do we need to soak and remove the skins, or process as is?
Walnuts were in the list of substitutions provided above the recipe. 🙂
Outstanding and so fresh with the lemon. I used garden basil and actually did not wash it, just checked all the leaves to ensure they had no critters. I found that not washing the basil kept the color more vibrant green and did not bruise the leaves so it looked just like your photo :). I did not add any cheese yet and both my hubs and I agreed, it is SO yummy it does not need it unless someone would like it or depending on the final dish. How nice to know this is a great vegan option. The measurements were spot in for our taste. Thanks so much for sharing,! I will make this and various versions of it in weeks to come. We have a Basil plant that keeps on giving!
I think a lot of the flavor palette comes from the type of basil you’re growing (mine is going nuts this year!). I agree that it was good without the cheese but we do love the cheese too. I may use a bit less next time though. Maybe even cut it in half. It was a bit too sweet for our taste so I added some chopped, fresh Italian parsley. It came out fantastic! I wonder how it would be with a bit of roasted red pepper … hum. 🙂
Pine “nuts” are not nuts, they are seeds. If you sprout them the pesto is even more nutritious.
Great tip, Ella!
It’s perfect!!
So glad you enjoyed it, Carla!
I didn’t have pine nuts so I used sunflower seeds. Delicious! This recipe going into my favorites. I also love rosemary pesto and will try that switch next time.
Hi Cathy, I’m so glad you loved the pesto!
Just made a batch. It’s so good I’m making a second batch and as suggested, will add sun dried tomatoes. A taste of Summer!
One question….can this be frozen?
Yep! It freezes well, I like to freeze it in ice cube trays for individual servings.
Along with the popular uses listed above, I love pesto on grilled salmon. Today I used toasted walnuts and it’s fantastic!
Hi Tim, so glad it came out well!
Hi! I am going to substitute almonds for the pine nuts. Should I used 1/2c whole almonds or chop them up first and then measure out the half cup? Thanks
Hi Meg, I think 1/2 cup whole almonds will work well!
Hello! Is the basil leaves supposed to be packed or just loosely packed,when it comes to the measurement?