How to Make Pesto

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: December 24, 2021 Tested

What to do with all that basil at the end of summer? Homemade pesto is versatile and simple, yet tastes very gourmet and will add kick to many of your favorite dishes! "Pesto" literally means to pound or crush, a reference to the original way pesto was prepared. This article will teach you how to make the classic pesto genovese as well as some other variants

Ingredients

3 cups packed fresh basil
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Italian cheese (Parmesan, Romano, etc.)
2 cloves of garlic (depending on taste)
Salt and pepper to taste

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:
Pesto Genovese

1
Spread pine nuts on a baking sheet and toast until golden brown. Place the pine nuts underneath a broiler until golden brown or simply bake in a 400 degree Fahrenheit oven for 5-10 minutes, checking often.
- Alternately, toast the pine nuts in a pan over low or medium-low heat on a burner. Stir often.
- Pine nuts burn very easily, making them somewhat finicky to work with. When toasting pine nuts, pay attention closely and move them around often. The difference between perfectly toasted pine nuts and burnt pine nuts is often a matter of seconds.
2
Chop garlic, cheese, and nuts (optional). Chopping before they are put into the food processor makes a finer ground pesto in the end.

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3
Add the chopped ingredients and basil into a food processor. Add the extra virgin olive oil in the spout gradually as the food is being processed.
- If you don't have a food processor, you can also use a blender in a pinch. (Pesto will turn out finer and less grainy when using a food processor.)
4
Add salt and pepper to taste. Give the food processor one or two more pulses.
5
Serve.

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Part 2

Part 2 of 2:
Variations

1
Make pistou. Pistou is a french (Provence) variation of pesto made in a similar fashion, except without pine nuts. It consists of basil, garlic, olive oil, and sometimes cheese. Pistou is generally used in vegetable soup.
2
Add mint leaves and almonds. To the original pesto genovese recipe, add a bit of fresh mint leaves and substitute almonds for pine nuts. The almonds may or may not be toasted.
3
Make pesto alla siciliana, or red pesto. Red pesto is like traditional pesto, except it has tomato, much less basil, and substitutes almonds again for pine nuts.
4
Make pesto alla calabrese. This pesto incorporates grilled red bell pepper, black pepper, and sometimes eggplant and ricotta cheese to go along with the basil and tomatoes. It has a distinctly spicy taste to it.
5
Make pesto with sun-dried tomatoes instead of basil. For a very rich, sweeter pesto, combine sun-dried tomatoes along with pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil.
6
Substitute other green herbs for basil. Although basil is the traditional ingredient in Italian pesto — and almost religiously used in authentic Italian recipes — you can experiment a bit with the green herbs you put into the food processor. As a substitute for basil, try:
- Arugula. Makes a very nutty pesto.
- Cilantro. Makes a light, fresh, and clean-tasting pesto.
- Ramson leaves. This makes for a German variety of pesto.
- Parsley. Makes a light, clean pesto.
7
Substitute other nuts for pine nuts. Because of the cost of pine nuts, many people have taken to substituting other nuts into the original recipe in lieu of pine nuts. Substitutes often include:
- Walnuts.
- Cashews.
- Chinese pine nuts.
- Almonds.
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Community Q&A

Question

How long can I keep it?

Community Answer

Usually if you freeze the pesto it will keep for 4-6 months in the freezer. Be sure to keep it in a sealed container.
Question

How do I prevent the pesto from changing from fresh green to a grey, dark green?

Community Answer

You can take some plastic wrap, put it on top of the pesto, and then place it in the fridge. This should prevent any color changes.
Question

My pesto gets grayish almost immediately after using the processor. What can I do to preserve the light-green color?

Becca Atwood

Community Answer

Use fresh basil, and use about a teaspoon or two of pine nuts at most for each generous handful of basil.
Question

Is there a recipe for pesto made with sun-dried tomatoes instead of basil?

Becca Atwood

Community Answer

Simply use sun-dried tomatoes instead of basil leaves. Omit the pine nuts.
Question

Can I add oregano to the Genovese pesto?

Community Answer

Oregano is not traditional and it won't taste the same, but you certainly can. If you want to do this, start with just a tablespoon of oregano to the three cups of basil, as it will be a matter of personal taste.
Question

Can I use manual food processor?

Community Answer

Yes. Any kind of food processor will work for this recipe. A manual food processor may be more work though.