Basil pesto is one of the easiest ways to use a large handful of basil in one go — pesto does not need to be precious, and the useful version is the one you will actually make when basil is abundant and starting to fade at the market.
Sauce
Easy
Italian
Basil pesto
A quick blender sauce that turns a large bunch of fresh basil into something you can use through the week — on pasta, toast, eggs, vegetables, and more — and freeze for later.
- Time
- 10 min
- Serves
- 4
Basil pesto
Makes About 1 cup
Serves
4
Scaled 1×. Ingredients adjusted — but cook time, pan size, and oven temperature don't scale linearly. A bigger batch usually needs a bigger pan and a few extra minutes; a smaller batch often finishes sooner. Trust your eyes, not the timer.
Ingredients (7)
You'll need
- Food processor or blender
Instructions
0 of 5
Nutrition
Estimated per serving · 2 tablespoons
210
Calories
3 g
Protein
2 g
Carbs
21 g
Fat
1 g
Fiber
0 g
Sugar
160 mg
Sodium
What to look for when you shop
Best varieties
- Genovese — the classic large-leaf sweet basil; fragrant and clove-like, ideal for pesto
- Italian large-leaf — similar to Genovese; widely available at farm markets
- Sweet basil — reliable all-purpose variety; most commonly grown
- Napoletano — large crinkled leaves, milder flavor; good in a pinch
Ripeness
Bright green, fragrant, firm leaves with no browning or black spots. Smell the cut stem end — it should be strongly aromatic. Basil bruises easily; handle gently.
Imperfections are fine
Small tears, minor discoloration on a few leaves, and wildly mixed stem sizes are all fine for pesto. Pick off any black-tipped or fully wilted leaves. Slightly past-peak basil still makes excellent pesto.
Good substitutions
- Spinach and a few basil leaves for a milder, less expensive pesto
- Arugula pesto — bold and peppery, no cooking
- Cilantro and pepita for a Mexican-style herb sauce
In season
Basil peaks June through August and dislikes cold — buy or grow it in summer and make pesto to preserve the season.
How much to buy
About 2 packed cups (1 large market bunch, roughly 2–3 oz) makes about 1 cup of finished pesto.
From a grower near you
Buy basil from a farm near you
A freshly cut bunch of basil from the market is incomparably more fragrant than clamshell basil that has been refrigerated and sweating for days. For pesto, where basil is almost the entire recipe, that difference in fragrance is decisive.
- In season June through August
- For this recipe 1 large bunch / about 2 packed cups of leaves
- While you're there Local garlic · Olive oil · Parmesan
At the market
About 2 packed cups (1 large market bunch, roughly 2–3 oz) makes about 1 cup of finished pesto.
Best varieties
- Genovese the classic large-leaf sweet basil; fragrant and clove-like, ideal for pesto
- Italian large-leaf similar to Genovese; widely available at farm markets
- Sweet basil reliable all-purpose variety; most commonly grown
Good to know
Tips
- Do not overprocess — a slightly chunky pesto has more texture and character than a flat puree.
- Nuts, seeds, or cheese can all shift based on what you have; the ratios are flexible.
- Freeze extra pesto in ice cube trays for easy portions; each cube is roughly 1 tablespoon.
Storage
- Refrigerator: up to 5 days; keep a thin layer of olive oil on top to prevent browning.
- Freezer: up to 3 months; freeze in ice cube trays then transfer cubes to a freezer bag.
Make ahead
- This is a make-ahead recipe by design — the whole point is to preserve summer basil.
- Make a large batch when basil is abundant and freeze in portions to use through fall and winter.
Variations
- Sun-dried tomato pesto: add 4–5 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes and reduce the basil by half.
- Kale pesto: use 1 cup kale and 1 cup basil for a more robust, earthy sauce.
- Walnut pesto: walnuts give a deeper, earthier flavor than pine nuts and cost significantly less.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make basil pesto ahead of time?
Yes. Pesto is one of the best make-ahead herb preparations because it freezes well.
What can you serve with basil pesto?
Serve it with pasta, toast, sandwiches, vegetables, eggs, beans, or grain bowls.
Can you make pesto without pine nuts?
Yes. Walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds all work. Walnuts are the most affordable and give a deeper, earthier result.
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