Basil Parmesan Pesto

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Fresh Basil Parmesan Pesto is a classic, simple, and versatile sauce. Made with fresh ingredients, it’s hands down better than store-bought pesto, and it’s super easy to make!

Use this sauce recipe for chicken meatballs, garlic bread, and potato salad. Keep reading for more pesto recipes, you might just become obsessed like I am!

Garden sweet basil

I absolutely love growing fresh basil! There’s nothing better than stepping out to my herb garden and snipping exactly what I need all summer long. As the season winds down, making homemade basil pesto is my favorite way to preserve those fragrant leaves before the first freeze.

Don’t have a garden? No problem! Your local farmers market is the perfect place to stock up on fresh, vibrant basil during the summer months.

Ways to use traditional basil pesto

• Pesto Chicken Pizza – Create a fantastic combination by spreading a layer of pesto on pizza dough. Next, add mozzarella and tomatoes. Delicious!
• Pasta – One of my favorite ways to use pesto is with angel hair pasta. It’s so quick and easy to make a delicious dinner. Add a generous amount of pesto, a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, and red pepper flakes. Yum!
• Pesto Shrimp – Saute shrimp until they are pink and opaque. Add a generous amount of pesto and coat each shrimp. Cook for 1 – 2 minutes until pesto is warm.
• Grilled Cheese – You’ll need two pieces of buttered bread, a slice of your favorite white cheese and about two tablespoons of Homemade Basil Parmesan Pesto. Build the sandwich and toast it on a griddle. Pesto is a great sandwich spread that pairs great with lunch meat too.
• Baked Salmon – Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake salmon for 10 – 12 minutes. Immediately add pesto to the top of the salmon.
• Skillet Pesto Salmon Pasta – This recipe will teach you how to use basil pesto for pasta sauce.
• Italian Chicken Meatballs – Use this pesto recipe as a dipping sauce.
• Pesto Tuna Pasta Salad – Make up a batch of this pasta salad for lunches all week.

Simple ingredients

A full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card below.

• Fresh Basil—Other fresh herbs, like parsley or cilantro, work well as substitutes. Kale pesto makes a delicious salad dressing if you want something other than basil.
• Pine Nuts—Walnuts, pistachios, almonds, or even sunflower seeds can be used to make this easy basil pesto recipe.
• Parmesan Cheese—Be sure to use freshly grated parmesan. The texture will be off if you use powdered parmesan. I’ve also used a hard cheese like Romano for a bolder flavor.
• Lemon Juice – Feel free to add in some lemon zest.

Step-by-step directions

Step 1: Prep the Ingredients

Gather all your ingredients and ensure the basil leaves are clean and dry for the best flavor.

Step 2: Blend the Base

In a food processor or blender, combine the basil, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, garlic, lemon juice, and salt. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped and well blended.

Step 3: Incorporate the Olive Oil

With the food processor or blender running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Continue blending until the pesto is smooth and creamy.

Step 4: Serve or Store

Enjoy your fresh pesto immediately, or transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze it for longer storage.

Storage:

The best way to store pesto sauce is in an airtight container.

Refrigerate: Fresh pesto lasts up to 5 days in the fridge. Mason jars work great for storing pesto in the fridge. To prevent the pesto from browning, put plastic wrap over the top.

Freezer: Save your homemade pesto over the winter months by freezing it. Store in a freezer-safe container. Be sure to leave some headroom at the top of the container so the pesto can expand as it freezes. Pesto can last up to 6 months in the freezer.

Recipe tips

• I like to freeze leftover pesto in ice cube trays to make single-serving thawing easier (hello, pesto cubes)!
• A freezer bag is another great way to store leftover fresh basil pesto.

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