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.
This recipe is simple & delicious, I have already made it several times in the past few weeks since finding it. I have used other types of nuts (hazelnuts, cashews) and the pesto still turned out great! I only added about half of the olive oil from the recipe too.
This sauce was delicious! The only change was that I added a bit more olive oil. Much better than the pre-made stuff! This will now be in regular rotation in my household.
I’m so glad you loved it!
I use half lurpak butter, half olive oil. Lasts for weeks and can be used on pesto bread.s, pizza bases, everything!! Delicious!
I made this and it’s wonderful but I have a couple questions for clarification. 1) When I pulsed the pine nuts and other items it became more of a paste is that right? And 2) when you say 2 cups basil is that 2 cups weighed or two measuring cups full? I did the measuring cups and was great but I felt like it could use a bit more basil so I’m curious. All in all a fantastic recipe!!!
Hi Patrick, when you pulse the nuts, I stop before they become a paste, just so they’re well chopped up. We use 2 packed measuring cups, which can be awkward to try to measure, so if you feel like you’d like more basil, go for it! I’m so glad you enjoyed.
Hi! Might be a silly question but do I toast the pine nuts myself or do they usually come already toasted? Thank you!
The recipe actually says “toasted pine nuts”
Hi Marissa, I toast them lightly in a skillet before adding (or sometimes I just skip toasting altogether).
This recipe was a helpful guide for me. I made this vegan using the “Follow your heart” brand vegan parm. I used garlic-infused olive oil and had to add a bit more than what the recipe stated to make it smoother. You can also use minced garlic in a jar to save time. It’s fantastic and great in Kale salads.
How long does it keep when refrigerated?
So yummy!!!!
Definitely recommend this recipe!!
I added a dash of water just to smooth it out but that’s just my personal preference, but still tastes yummy!!! 🙌
Made this and added probably an additional half a cup to try and get it to come even close to a sauce, and it didn’t. It’s just a big tub of dry basil, essentially. This recipe does not work, and you should fix it before somebody gets seriously pissed off. Something about it is wrong,, because I followed the directions exactly as they were written.
Did you use fresh basil leaves or dried? Fresh basil is what the recipe should say.
I bought it in the spice aisle at a supermarket (not fresh) but, as a chef, it shouldn’t make a difference.
Coming from a “True Chef” dried and fresh are not the SAME!
I used jarred basil from the supermarket but, as a chef, it shouldn’t make a difference.
william you are definitely not a chef
It makes a HUGE difference!
Hahaha! Either William is trolling you or what he means by chef is a McDonald’s fry cook.
No chef in their right mind would use dry basil to make pesto. Even if you just pulsed the fresh basil in the Cuisinart, it would still be wet.
I seriously doubt that Silly Willy went to culinary school.
If you look at the photos she posted before the recipe, it shows fresh Basil.
I make this recipe often and sometimes using a mix of fresh herbs and different nuts and it is always fantastic. Very flavorful and it makes more than enough to feed two people. The texture is perfect! I would recommend trying this recipe again using fresh basil and I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed.
Hi Louise, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Made this several times. Super delicious and easy.
Thank you for sharing!