Basil Pesto

Name: Basil Pesto
Total time: 10 min
Cuisine: American-Italian
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons pine nuts; 2 cups (60 g) fresh basil leaves, 60 g / 2 oz; tightly packed; ½ cup (50 g) Parmesan, 50 g; finely grated, tightly packed; ½ tsp cooking/kosher salt; ¼ tsp black pepper; 1 garlic clove, small; 7 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, best quality

Smooth green pesto in a bowl with a spoon and fresh basil nearby. — A bowl of smooth basil pesto.

Fresh basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic, and olive oil blitz into a classic pesto. Keep it smooth for pasta or make it chunkier for dipping.

By Cookin' KitchenOctober 23, 2026

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Prep: 10 minutes

Prep: 10 minutes

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Recipe

Basil Pesto

Fresh basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic, and olive oil blitz into a classic pesto. Keep it smooth for pasta or make it chunkier for dipping.

Cookin' · https://cookin.club/recipes/basil-pesto

Prep: 10 minutes

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 cups (60 g) fresh basil leaves, 60 g / 2 oz; tightly packed
½ cup (50 g) Parmesan, 50 g; finely grated, tightly packed
½ tsp cooking/kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 garlic clove, small
7 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, best quality

Equipment

Small skillet
Food processor
Blender
Feeder tube
Bowl
Handheld blender
Airtight container

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat a small skillet over medium-high heat without oil. Add the pine nuts and toast until light brown. Immediately remove them from the skillet and let them cool slightly.
Step 2: Place all the ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor or blender. Blitz until finely chopped.
Step 3: With the motor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feeder tube. Blitz until smooth, or to your desired consistency. Add a touch of extra oil or water if needed to help it blitz.
Step 4: For the handheld blender method, place all the ingredients, including the oil, in a bowl. Blitz with a handheld blender until smooth.

Storage and use

Step 5: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months. If the container is not airtight, smooth the surface and cover it with a thin layer of olive oil to help keep the basil from browning when it contacts air.
Step 6: This makes enough pesto for 300 g / 10 oz of dried pasta, and can stretch to 350 g / 12 oz.

Notes

Variations and storage

For variations, swap the basil for rocket, baby spinach, spinach, silverbeet, kale, or parsley, and swap the pine nuts for walnuts, cashews, almonds, or hazelnuts. Cashews are noted as a good substitute for pine nuts.

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for 3 months. If the container is not airtight, smooth the surface and cover it with a thin layer of olive oil to help keep the basil from browning.

About this recipe

This basil pesto comes together quickly in a food processor or blender. Blitz it smooth for pasta, or stop sooner for a chunkier dip.

Chunky green pesto with a spoon in a ceramic bowl. — Chunky pesto in a bowl.

Fresh basil gives this pesto its classic flavor. Pack the leaves firmly when measuring by volume.

Fresh basil, pine nuts, grated Parmesan, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper arranged on a board. — Ingredients for basil pesto.

Basil Pesto