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.
Great recipe! I added the zest of the lemons as well to give it a little boost! The lemons make it so much lighter and fresher! A keeper recipe!!!!
Way too much lemon juice. It is supposed to be used to add freshenss but it overtook it and could barely taste the basil. Waste of fresh garden basil
Perfect combination. I had 4 Basil plants going for just this purpose. Lost count of the batches made. But plenty in the freezer for quick healthy meals this fall and winter.
Thanks for sharing
This was a great place for me to start. I think this recipe is very heavy on the pine nuts. It tasted more like pine nut than basil to me. I ended up doubling the amount of basil and a few other ingredients to balance it out. I ended up with a great pesto after some personal alterations.
Honestly, I found it way to pine nut and lemmon heavy, and I was packing the basil leaves. I halved the pine nuts and reduced the Lemmon by 30%.
But thank you for the recipe. I actually use it in pasta salads where the extra acidity helps.
bomb
I made this with walnuts and it was fabulous! My family raved about it! Thank you for this great recipe!
Have a nut allergy in the family so I used sunflower seeds in one batch and pumpkin seeds in another. Both were delicious!
Does 2 cups of basil mean compact or loosely filled?
Hi Patricia, we use loosely packed cups!
Any substitute for pine nuts in the recipe
Hi Hina, I like to use pepitas, walnuts, or cashews.
I made this with a Vitamix which was a mistake. I was able to salvage it but I found the flavor a bit too nutty/earthy. I added more salt, lemon, garlic, and basil.
Outstanding!
I process and put into ice cube trays. Once frozen, they go into a freezer bag. They freeze beautifully and can use as needed! Delicious!
I love this so much , thank you for sharing, my previous boss use to make it, I was looking for this for long time, now I got it. Thanks
I have 2 large basil plants and would like to process and make pesto. Can I put the pesto in a freezer bag and freeze it?
Yes
Hi….I put my processed pesto into ice trays. After freezing, pop them out and put into a freezer bag. This way you can you as needed.
Hi Jaycelle, yep! It freezes great.
Does this freeze well?
Hi Parveen, yes!
Delicious! I made the vegan style, and it is bursting with flavor. It’s easy to add grated Parmesan to the final product if desired. Easy to follow directions, too. Thanks for the inspired options to change it up. 🍜
So glad you loved it, Ellen!
I haven’t made pesto in years because I always found it too garlicky. This version, especially with the toasted pine nuts and lemon juice, is perfect! I’m saving the recipe for future use. Turned out great.
I’m so glad you loved it, Renate!
Fabulous!!! My family loved it and my mom declared it the best pesto she’s ever had and asked if I could make her some to take back to her house! First time out, we put some on top of a nice fish, but I can imagine lots of different uses for it.
I’m so glad you loved it, Myra!
I followed this exactly as written.Very disappointed,too much salt and lemon juice.I should have waited until blended before adding each of those.
Hi Julie, so sorry you were disappointed with the results! Feel free to use less of each next time to suit your taste. For this batch, you might find that it tastes balanced once you put it on something.