Pesto Sauce is easy to make and comes together in just 10 minutes if you have all the ingredients in hand. It goes great with everything right from pasta to salads to sandwiches to pizzas. Pesto Sauce – Learn to make it the classic way with basil, pine nuts, parmesan and olive oil with the help of step by step pictures and video.
Homemade Pesto Sauce made with basil leaves is one of the quickest sauces that you can make. It is one of the versatile sauces that can go as a dip or sauce or spread. Homemade Pesto comes together in few minutes and tastes so fresh and flavorful than the store bought ones.
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What is Pesto Sauce?
Pesto Sauce is a classic Italian sauce made with fresh basil leaves, garlic, parmesan cheese, olive oil and pine nuts blended together to a coarse sauce consistency. Sometimes pesto sauce can be made with other variations with herbs like mint, coriander, parsley etc.
Traditionally Pesto Sauce is made with basil leaves but the variations are endless. Pesto Sauce was originated from Genoa, Italy traditionally made by crushing all the ingredients using a mortar and pestle. But nowadays for ease and convenience we use electronic equipment like food processor or blender.
Pesto Sauce is commonly used as a pasta sauce but can be used as a dip or spread for sandwiches or even as a topping for various dishes. This is so easy to put together – just grab and blend the ingredients and your homemade pesto is ready.
The vibrant green color and flavorful fresh look makes it one of the popular choice in Italian cuisine. Use it as a pasta sauce or pizza sauce or drizzle it over grilled chicken or roasted vegetables or even eggs, use it as a sandwich spread or use it as a spread for wraps too, use it for salads etc.
This Homemade Pesto Recipe is simple, quick and flavorful. Pesto Sauce is one easy way to elevate the taste of many dishes. Pesto can be chunky or smooth according to one’s preference. Traditionally it was made by crushing the ingredients using mortar and pestle it was chunky so most of the pesto sauces are not very smooth.
Pesto Sauce Video
Homemade Pesto Sauce is
- Easy and quick to make
- Fresh, aromatic and flavorful
- Very versatile
- Ready in just few minutes
- Easy to customize to one’s liking
I made pesto sauce and use it for my pasta and sandwiches.
Pesto Sauce Variations
- Basil with Pine nuts – Use pine nuts with basil for the classic combo.
- Basil with other nuts – You can replace pine nuts with almonds or walnuts. Toast them slightly and add it.
- Parsley – with cashews or pine nuts or walnuts or almonds.
- Cilantro – with almonds or cashews.
- Baby Spinach – with almonds or walnuts.
Similar Recipes
Basil Leaves
Genovese Basil or Sweet Basil is most commonly used for making pesto sauce. However you can use other basil varieties like Thai basil too. I did not have luck finding Sweet Basil(Genovese) here in my place so tried pesto with Thai Basil and it was great. I will sure update it here when I get to use sweet basil.
Though Genovese Basil and Thai Basil have different flavors you can use any of these for making pesto. Alternatively if you do not find basil in your place replace it with baby spinach or cilantro which works best.
Pesto Sauce Ingredients
- Basil – Use fresh basil leaves for best flavorful pesto sauce. I have used Thai Basil which is available here. You can use sweet basil or Genovese basil.
- Parmesan – Parmesan cheese gives a good flavor to this pesto sauce. It is salty and creamy which gives a good balance for this sauce.
- Olive oil – Olive oil gives the pesto shelf life, also creaminess and sauce consistency to the pesto.
- Pine nuts – Pine nuts adds creaminess and structure to pesto sauce. You can substitute with walnuts or almonds. Toasting pine nuts brings out the nutty flavor.
- Garlic – Garlic adds a nice aroma which elevates the flavor of this pesto sauce.
- Pepper and Salt – Salt is added to taste and pepper for a mild spice.
- Lemon – Lemon juice helps to retain the green color, brightens up the flavor and balances the taste.
How to make Pesto Sauce Step by Step
1.Toast 1/3 cup pine nuts until golden and set aside to cool. Toasting nuts brings out the nutty flavor.
2.To a food processor or blender add toasted pine nuts along with 2 cloves garlic.
3.Clean and rinse 2 cups basil leaves well. Drain water completely. Add the basil leaves along with salt to taste.
4.Add 1/2 teaspoon pepper powder.
5.Add 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese.
6.Add lemon juice from 1/2 lemon.
7.Blend it and add olive little by little while blending. Use 1/3 cup olive oil add it in 3-4 parts.
8.Blend it until coarse not too smooth.
9.The consistency is slightly coarse.
Fresh Basil Pesto Sauce is ready!
Expert Tips
- Basil – Use fresh sweet basil or thai basil.
- Nuts – Pine nuts are a bit expensive, also not available everywhere so you can replace it with walnuts or cashews or almonds.
- Parmesan – You can replace parmesan cheese with processed grated cheese too but the taste and flavor slightly varies.
- Olive oil – Do not compromise on olive oil as it gives the pesto the perfect consistency. Do not add olive oil along with other ingredients, add it wile blending to get the desired consistency.
- Consistency – The pesto consistency can be altered according to preference and liking. It can be chunky or smooth.
- Color – The color of the pesto is vibrant green. Adding lemon helps to retain the green color.
- Blanching – You can even blanch the basil leaves and grind.
Serving & Storage
Homemade pesto can be used as pasta sauce or pizza sauce. It can used as a dip or spread for sandwiches or even wraps and rolls. Pesto Sauce keeps well in room temperature for about a day in room temperature and in fridge for 1 week and in freezer for about 3 months.
FAQS
1.What can I replace basil with?
You can replace fresh basil with cilantro or parsley. Cilantro with Almonds is a great combination. You can also use baby spinach with nuts for making pesto sauce.
2.What can I use instead of pine nuts?
Pine nuts are expensive also not available easily so you can replace with almonds or cashews or pistachios or even walnuts.
3.How long does homemade pesto last?
Store the pesto in a clean jar and it keeps well in fridge fora bout a week and in freezer for 2-3 months.
4.What type of electric tools do you need to make pesto?
You need a powerful blender or food processor for making pesto. However you can use you regular mixer to make pesto too.
5.What is the best way to serve pesto?
Pesto is best when served as a pasta sauce or pizza sauce. However you can use it as a spread for sandwiches and wraps too.
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📖 Recipe Card
Pesto Sauce Recipe (Basil Pesto)
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves tightly packed
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper powder
- 1/2 lemon
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Toast 1/3 cup pine nuts until golden and set aside to cool. Toasting nuts brings out the nutty flavor.
- To a food processor or blender add toasted pine nuts along with 2 cloves garlic.
- Clean and rinse 2 cups basil leaves well. Add the basil leaves along with salt to taste.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon pepper powder.
- Add 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese.
- Add lemon juice from 1/2 lemon.
- Blend it and add olive little by little while blending. Use 1/3 cup olive oil add it in 3-4 parts.
- Blend it until coarse not too smooth.
- The consistency is slightly coarse.
- Fresh basil pesto sauce is ready!
Video
Notes
- Basil – Use fresh sweet basil or thai basil.
- Nuts – Pine nuts are a bit expensive, also not available everywhere so you can replace it with walnuts or cashews or almonds.
- Parmesan – You can replace parmesan cheese with processed grated cheese too but the taste and flavor slightly varies.
- Olive oil – Do not compromise on olive oil as it gives the pesto the perfect consistency. Do not add olive oil along with other ingredients, add it wile blending to get the desired consistency.
- Consistency – The pesto consistency can be altered according to preference and liking. It can be chunky or smooth.
- Color – The color of the pesto is vibrant green. Adding lemon helps to retain the green color.
- Blanching – You can even blanch the basil leaves and grind.
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