Best Basil Pesto Recipe: Put This Easy Pesto Recipe on Everything by Donna John


Best Basil Pesto Recipe: Put This Easy Pesto Recipe on Everything

Basil pesto is not only packed with flavor, it’s also super easy and quick to put together. You'll want to use this delicious pesto recipe on pasta, in this caprese panini recipe, on grilled chicken breasts, grilled shrimp, in this peas with pesto recipe, on rice cakes, in a salad dressing or even on pizza (well, just about everything)!

While I do try other basil pesto recipes, this is my go-to-recipe. I love making chicken pesto pasta, pesto chicken breasts, pesto pasta salad and creamy pesto chicken spaghetti with it. I always make extra and freeze it for later. 

All you need to make this easy homemade basil pesto recipe is fresh basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Blend it up and get ready to taste freshness on a fork (or spoon!). 

What's your favorite way to use pesto?

Note: 30Seconds is a participant in the Amazon affiliate advertising program and this post contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission or fees if you make a purchase via those links.

Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 2/3 cups olive oil
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Helpful Products

Recipe Notes

  • Pine nuts are somewhat pricey, so sometimes I will use walnuts, almonds or even sunflower seeds.
  • Make extra and freeze it for later.

Here's how you make it:

  1. Put the basil, garlic and pine nuts in a blender. Pulse until chopped.
  2. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil.
  3. Pour the mixture into a bowl and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Recipe cooking times and servings are approximate. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography. Need to convert cooking and baking measurements? Here are some kitchen conversion charts. Here's how to submit your recipes to 30Seconds.

Take 30 seconds and join the 30Seconds community, and follow us on Facebook to get recipes in your newsfeed daily.

Related Products on Amazon We Think You May Like:

30Second Mobile, Inc. is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Special Basil Pesto Recipe: Chef Gale Gand Adds Something Interesting to Her Basil Pesto

10-Minute Caprese Salad Skewers Recipe: Put This Italian Salad on a Stick

This Easy Caprese Panini Recipe Will Make You Buy That Panini Press

20-Minute Spinach Pesto Pasta Recipe: Easy Pasta With Peas & Pesto Recipe Is Dinner Fast

Jennison Grigsby
Sounds easy and tasty!
Elisa Schmitz
I love pesto! Thanks for the easy recipe, Donna John!
Ann Marie Patitucci
Pesto is my favorite, but I've never tried making it. I've always been scared to mess it up! :) Thanks, Donna John !
Angel C
Love pesto. I have also substituted a small handful of walnuts instead of pine nuts since usually don’t have those on hand and they are $$$$$$! Also you can add a little lump of cream cheese believe it or not to the mix and it makes it just a bit creamy and delish. Not too much.
Donna John
Me, too! I picked my basil yesterday to make it, but we ended up getting a pizza to eat during the Astros game. Making it tonight. A few weeks ago I made Gale Gand's recipe, which you use butter in. It was very good! Tonight, going to make my ol' go-to version (this one!). Gale Gand uses pinenuts and walnuts in her version. Love the idea of cream cheese! Going to try that. food: Special Basil Pesto Recipe: Chef Gale Gand Adds Something Interesting to Her Basil Pesto Angel C Elisa A. Schmitz 30Seconds
Donna John
Also, I froze some this year so I can enjoy it after my basil dies. Which, unfortunately, is happening right now, which is why I cut it back yesterday.
FredRickson
There are some ideas that frozen cheese is bitter. Don’t know. Just always add cheese at the table.
Donna John
My frozen basil pesto is always delicious. Never have an issue with bitter. Interesting, though.

join discussion

Please login to comment.

recommended tips

6-Ingredient Chewy Italian Almond Cookies (Ricciarelli): Gluten Free & Dairy Free

Raspberry Baked Oatmeal Recipe: The Breakfast You Didn't Know You Needed

Best Italian Restaurant Alfredo Sauce Copycat Recipe: 3 Ingredients + 10 Minutes

Camila Alves McConaughey's Creamy No-Bake Lemon Cheesecake Recipe (5 Ingredients)