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.
Will a blender work in substitution for a food processor?
Great recipe
I love this recipe! I added a splash of heavy whipping cream when I tossed it into a pasta with grilled chicken. So so so so good!!
Is this enough pesto for one pound of pasta or do I need to make more?
Can I use marinated garlic
Hi Misty, I’ve never tried that. I think it would work fine!
Thank you, for the recipe . Is absolutely delicious.
So glad you loved it!
Best pesto ever
So glad you love it, Leslie!
How long will it keep? Couple days? I know frozen it’ll last longer but if I’m making it and taking it to a family gathering will it be OK to eat it 3-4 days after making it?
Hi Linda, basil turns brown pretty quickly, so I wouldn’t make this one more than 1 day before.
I followed the recipe, except used grated Parmesan . It is too thin. Too much oil?
Hi Marnie, you could try pulsing in more pine nuts.
Good recipe, we find that it is best with half the lemon juice and twice the cheese. Putting lemon juice on the basil leaves before processing it keeps the pesto greener. Yum!
So glad you love the recipe, Michelle!
This is a great recipe. I have made it before. Toasted walnuts are a great substitute for pine nuts. I added mint and sun-dried tomatoes in addition to all of the other ingredients. I wish the recipe had a note on toasting pine nuts. Thanks for the great recipe.
So glad you love the pesto, Marshall! That variation sounds delicious.
Easy, delicious and I love the substitutions.
So glad you enjoyed it, Karen!
I would’ve me
Omit the lemon juice. It overpowers everything else. My chef friend from Italy said they don’t put lemon in their pesto sauce in Capri. Also, this recipe has double the amount of pine nuts needed
Hey dawg
This is love and lemons so one can expect lemons
How come you look up a pesto recipe when you’re so confident you know it
Dawnne
Okay I went and made it and the lemon juice overpowered everything and the pine nuts were too many
I fully regret my previous response because you were dead on
This is wonderful o Salmon. So Good!
delicious! My extremely picky daughter asked for seconds and then requested it for lunch the next day! it’s like she was craving it after she got a taste!
I’m glad you both loved it!
Good day. I found that the amount of lemon juice was excessive, one tablespoon or less for my taste. Otherwise delicious thank you
Hi, so glad you enjoyed it!
I have tried countless pesto recipes and none have ever wow-ed me like the pesto I have had in restaurants…. Until this one! For the first time in my life I could eat a bowl of pesto with a spoon. This recipe is the only one I’ll use going forward!
Hi Rachel, I’m so glad you loved it!
This pesto may have changed by life. I had some sort of magical experience when eating it. I don’t know if I’ve ever tasted something better. Use high quality ingredients. I couldn’t recommend more.
Hi Josh, wow! I’m so glad you loved it!
How much pesto does this make?
It makes about 2/3 cups not much .. I really enjoyed this recipe and am making it for the 2nd time & am doubling by 2 to make extra sauce.
How do we measure two cups of basil leaves? This is one of those recipes where weight would be really helpful. Is it two tightly packed cups, or?
Hi, we use 2 loosely packed cups. I hope this helps!