Basic Pesto Sauce Recipe (2024)

I freeze pesto in large plastic ziplock freezer bags, squeezing out all of the air, closing and then patting the pesto into a thin layer. You can break off what you need, and because the layer is thin, it will quickly defrost and come to room temperature. Blanch the basil if you want bright green. Try walnuts if you cannot get great pine nuts. Some sources say you should not add nuts and cheese before freezing pesto, but in my experience, the nuts and cheese do just fine.``

Courtesy of Marcella Hazaan, pesto freezes well--minus the dairy. Something to consider when basil is abundant and cheap during the summer. She also uses a combo of 3 parts Parmesan to 1 part pecorino, plus some added butter which transforms this recipe into a real mother of a sauce.

At cooking school in Italy I was taught to blanch basil for pesto and basil oil to keep it bright green indefinitely. Drop into boiling water, stir, drain as water returns to the boil (a few seconds) and immediately put into an ice bath. It doesn't affect the flavor. I notice some other recommendations for blanching and I agree.

Beverly Dame: Re question about how to tell if pine nuts are from Italy, Italian (& Turkish & American) pine nuts are more ovoid, egg shaped, whereas Asian pine nuts are rounded. Sadly most sold in US are from China as less $$. Even those sold by places like Whole Foods. The processing chemicals used in China to remove pine nut shells can lead to "pine nut mouth". I had it once. Three weeks of bitter taste for anything I consumed, even water. Stopped using China sourced.

Pesto has been a staple of mine for years, but I use different proportions and make it dairy-free. I double the pine nuts (about 2/3 cup), use 4 cups of basil (or about one large package from my local supermarket), and I use only about 1/4 cup of olive oil. I also add a bit of lemon juice, and omit the cheese entirely. The trick is to toast the pine nuts on an ungreased pan as the first step, and then run them through the food processor, followed by the basil, and then the other ingredients.

When my pesto with cashews was ready to Server I womdered how to get it out of the food processsor without wasting a lot. Here is my solution: Most of the pesto went into a twist-off-glas to store in the fridge. From the freshly cooked pasta I put a cup of the cooking water into the food processor to pulse with the rest of the pesto into a creamy light sauce to pour over the pasta. Grated pecorino on the side if desired.Truely delicious!

I make pesto with pepitas and/or sunflower seeds, so that my kid can take it to nut-free kid environments. It's good.

I put my pesto in ice cube trays and freeze. I get individual portions without the pesto going bad.

Too much raw garlic! I'd use only one small clove to 2 cups of basil leaves. If you add about a 1/2 cup of flat leaf (Italian) parsley leaves along with the basil, the sauce will maintain a brighter green color.

Made this following the recipe to the T and using home-grown basil and it was delicious. Thinned the final product out with a little EVOO and drizzled it over Marcella Hazan's Roasted Chicken with Lemons — a perfect combo. Froze the leftovers, following instructions in other comments. Definitely a keeper.

Pine nuts are traditional. But here is the South it’s pecans. I used walnuts for ever until one day I had enough of what to me was a slight bitter taste in my pesto. I used some pecans and it changed my pesto forever. Pecans are slightly sweeter but have a much more shuttle taste. “In the background” as my chef grandfather used to say when adding minor ingredients.

If you do use pine nuts just be absolutely sure they are verifiably from Italy and not from China!

Pesto keeps longer than 3 days IF: Cover the pesto COMPLETELY with EVOO in a closed, air-tight GLASS container. Keep ALL of the inside of the container and inner lid above the pesto ABSOLUTELY clean or THIS part will turn black (trouble) and you don't want this to harm your pesto especially when you try to remove any of the pesto for use later. Do this EACH time you store it. Refrigerate. Recipes might add oil on top but don't mention the need to KEEP the inside of the container CLEAN.

Pestle and mortar not blender

We loved it served over Costco's tortelini. Also, we have spread it on a foccacia bread with some blue cheese crumbles.

The idea or freezing pesto sounds awful to me--it even loses its flavor 10 minutes after grinding the herbs. I often start from the silver spoon version, which is basically 25 basil leaves, two cloves of garlic, olive oil and cheese (pecorino or parmesan or both). This 'real' version really has a stronger flavor. My only variation would be to add more basil or some additional herb such as parsley. I like pine nuts very much but find they actually serve no role in pesto.

Worked great with unroasted, unsalted pumpkin seeds as a sub due to an allergy. Made by hand with mortar and pestle. Good ratios as guidelines for whatever quantity you are making.

Really good basic recipe. I would add more garlic and definitely more salt. A squeeze of lemon or a few lugs of lemon olive oil really brighten it up.

I love this recipe but I have to cut the parm by half or it overpowers the basil and garlic

The key to making pesto is not using a food processor but using a mortar and pestle. Never use a food processor unless you want inferior pesto.

Suggest squeezing the juice of 1 lemon and doubling the salt. Provides a brighter fresher flavor!

Very good, and easy. I made two double batches (Basil went wild this year), one per the recipe and the second with 5 oz oil (instead of 6) and 3 cloves of garlic (instead of 2). I froze most of it and may end up thinning the second batch a bit when I use it but my people definitely prefer it with more garlic.

This recipe is a favorite in my house and for guests in Sonoma. I follow the recipe to the tee, but I always make sure I am using the best basil possible (from the garden if in season) and real Parmesan cheese. Key is toasting the pine nuts just right (do not burn) and "tasting olive oil".

When I double the recipe I add zests of two lemon and the juice of one a handful or two more of basil!

Blanched and followed the recipe substituting pine nuts with pistachios and almonds. Tasted great!

I make this every summer and I freeze it in jars. The basil stays green and it has never been a problem to freeze the cheese. My grandsons love pesto, so I have become a basil farmer. This year I froze 2 dozen 500 ml jars and we will probably run out before next summer! I used walnuts this year and it is just as good as the pine nut variety.

I make pesto per the recipe but use just enough oil to mix into a thick paste- think peanut butter. I then make portion sized “lumps” and flash freeze on a cookie sheet. The lumps go into a zip lock bag in the freezer and when I need to use I defrost and add oil to the desired consistency. Works well for me.

Guide is 1.75 ounce per person. For 8 ounces of pasta, 1/2 to 3/4 cup pesto. So could use up to 2 of the ice cubes for 8 oz. Of pasta. Seems like a lot. May be problem of ounces vs dry measure.