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.
Instead of the lemon, I use a good amount of lemon basil. I also use two parts pine nuts and one part pistachios.
Delish–thank you! I doubled the recipe as had lots of fresh basil. I also digest garlic powder better than raw garlic and had nutritional yeast instead of cheese, and used half carrot tops so made those subs. Would def do again and recommend this recipe!
Love every re pipe I’ve tried from you. Quick question. Is it two cups packed basil for pesto or loose? Thank you!
pretty sure it’s packed basil
I tried it ,thanks for the recipe
Absolutely delicious!! I’ve made this several times this season and it’s been perfect every time! (Although I do add extra garlic..just a personal preference)
I’m glad you’ve loved it!
I don’t see where it gives the amount of basil? A handful and actual measurment?
Thank you,Pam
It says 2 cups
Hi Pam, it’s 2 cups (the full measurements are listed at the bottom of the post)
I made this last night to put on sandwiches and it’s so good! Thank you. 😍
Made this recipe – excellent but I doubled the amount of oil and added more salt. Excellent!
Thus was so good! Great way to use up all my overgrown herbs!
I have a Lemon Basil plant, and so just wondering would I use the same amount of lemon juice or should I reduce the amount ?
What do you think ????
Thanks for your help !!!!
I have Thai basil too and am going to try a combo of Thai and Genovese.
Fresh and delicious! I made a double batch and froze it in a mini cupcake pan. Once frozen, I popped the portions into a container, making it easy to grab pesto anytime I need it.
amart idea
Just an FYI but Pine Nuts aren’t actually nuts. They’re a seed. So if you have a nut allergy, pine nuts shouldn’t be a problem:-)
Just made this with fresh basil from my garden. What have I done wrong? I don’t feel like it has any flavor. I’m hoping once it sits the flavors will meld!
I’ve read that basil that is picked in the morning is more flavorful and also if it’s ’feet are wet’ it won’t taste as strong. Not sure if either of those apply to you?
I just made it with fresh basil from my garden. A little more garlic from a friend at farmers market. Fresh lemons from a girlfriend just at the end of the road. This was the best pesto I’ve ever made and I’ll be making double batches for as long as the basil is happening in my garden. Freezing it so I have it all winter long. It was heavenly. Try a little more salt and a little more garlic you should get full flavor.
This is the second time I have made this and it is amazing. All fresh from my garden and then I freeze it and it comes out perfectly.
Hi Mary, I’m so glad you love the recipe!
Excellent Pesto!! This is a keeper 🙂
So glad you loved it, Candace!
Perfection
So glad you loved it, Rose!
I made this recipe with fresh basil from my garden. I really like it, with one caveat: I felt the lemon was a little too intense. everything else about it seemed in the right proportion, but it tasted too tart. Next time I try it, I think I will go down to 1.5 tbsp rather than 2, and that will probably be just right
I love this pesto. Made some homemade focaccia and the pesto made it a home run . Bravo
DELICIOUS!!!
Your Basil Pesto recipe sounds good though I would probably leave out the lemon juice since it imparts a slightly sour taste.
Most importantly, the list of ingredients forgot to mention BASIL!