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Home » Recipe Type » Sauces, Dips & Frostings » Easy Classic Basil Pesto

Easy Classic Basil Pesto

By: Rosemary Published: July 11, 2017 Updated on: June 5, 2022

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Easy Classic Basil Pesto, made in five minutes with a few ingredients and using your food processor! Quick and Delicious.

Classic Basil Pesto, an easy homemade delicious pesto recipe. Made in 5 minutes with fresh basil.

Table of Contents

  • Easy Classic Basil Pesto
  • Basil Pesto
      • Never Miss a Recipe!
  • Easy Classic Basil Pesto
    • Ingredients  1x2x3x
    • Instructions 
    • Nutrition

Easy Classic Basil Pesto

I hate to admit to it. But I will. I was never a big Pesto Lover! Basil that is, I make a really good Tomato Pesto!

Yes my mother-in-law made it a few times, even using a Mortar and Pestle. Even with her children raving about how delicious it was, I just couldn’t get that excited.

Until, one evening we were sitting around talking about food (what else)? And of course we moved onto the big question. Can you really make a good Pesto using a food processor?

Basil Pesto

a blue bowl of classic basil pesto and pasta

So of course I decided to give it a try. I was hoping that after all these years my tastes had somewhat changed and I could get a little excited about a Darn good Classic Basil Pesto.

Using my mother-in-law’s recipe and my food processor I went to work.

Our amazing friend the Cook was convinced that the only way to make an amazing Pesto was using a Mortar and Pestle and a lot of arm work.

Classic Basil Pesto, an easy homemade delicious pesto recipe. Made in 5 minutes with fresh basil. Video included.

I convinced him otherwise. Make sure you use fresh Basil leaves, and a combination of freshly grated Parmesan Cheese and Pecorino, a good quality Olive Oil and of course some Pine Nuts.

This Classic Basil Pesto comes to together in so little time and so much better than store bought and yes I have discovered a love for Pesto! Buon Appetito.

a bowl of classic basil pesto with fresh basil, olive oil in the back ground
a blue bowl of classic basil pesto and pasta
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    Easy Classic Basil Pesto

    Rosemary Molloy
    Classic Basil Pesto, an easy homemade delicious pesto recipe. Made in 5 minutes with fresh basil. 
    4.91 from 10 votes
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    Prep Time 10 mins
    Total Time 10 mins
    Course Main Dish, Pasta
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 108 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 3/4 ounces fresh basil (about 4 cups) (50 grams)
    • 5 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan Cheese (32 grams)
    • 2 tablespoons Pecorino Cheese (13 grams)
    • 1/3 cup olive oil (72 grams)
    • 1 tablespoon pine nuts (heaping soup spoon)
    • 2 cloves garlic chopped
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt

    Instructions
     

    • Place food processor container and blade in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
    • Meanwhile wash and dry fresh basil leaves.
    • Remove container and blade from refrigerator.  Add 1/3 basil leaves, half the salt, one third of the olive oil and pulse to combine.  Add another 1/3 basil leaves and pulse to combine add remaining basil leaves and pulse.
    • Add pine nuts, Parmesan Cheese and Pecorino, another one third olive oil, remaining salt and pulse to combine, add remaining olive oil and garlic, pulse on high to combine.  Serve over cooked pasta. Enjoy!
    • **Makes approximately 1 cup pesto, I served half over 3 cups cooked Penne Pasta with a little olive oil drizzled and tossed.  Left over Pesto should be refrigerated.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 108kcalProtein: 2gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 136mgPotassium: 25mgVitamin A: 355IUVitamin C: 1.3mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 0.3mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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      1. HJ says

        November 1, 2022 at 3:23 pm

        5 stars
        Absolutely simple but so delicious! Love all your recipes!

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          November 1, 2022 at 4:39 pm

          Hi HJ, thanks so much, so glad you like the recipes. Take care!

          Reply
      2. Maria says

        June 21, 2022 at 12:20 am

        This was SO GOOD! I added some sautéed vegetables (zucchini, broccoli, and mushrooms) and extra pine nuts and it was perfect. My entire Italian family loved it! MOLTO BENE!

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          June 21, 2022 at 12:38 pm

          Hi Maria, thanks so much, glad you and your family enjoyed it. Take care.

          Reply
      3. Zee says

        May 16, 2022 at 6:32 am

        5 stars
        Absolutely delicious!!! Everyone Loves this dish. It takes me a bit of time to make because I’m precisely cutting the basil and I’m not good at making pasta. I just didn’t grow up eating pasta. However, this is now an every other week dish. It’s super exciting. I just need to get thr hang of it. Maybe if I made the pasta first then I could go faster. It can take a long time if you’re looking for the correct cheese and the nut. I love this pesto. Thank you!

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          May 18, 2022 at 8:12 pm

          Hi Zee, thanks so much, so glad you like it. Once you get the hang of it you’ll be able to do it in no time. You could boil the water while you are blending the pesto, then cook the pasta. Take care.

          Reply
      4. Peter Newell says

        November 6, 2021 at 9:29 pm

        5 stars
        Delish!!!!

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          November 7, 2021 at 4:27 pm

          Hi Peter, thanks so much, glad you liked it.

          Reply
      5. Mandy says

        September 23, 2020 at 6:26 pm

        Do you toast the pine nuts first?

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          September 23, 2020 at 8:47 pm

          Hi Mandy, no I don’t toast them first.

          Reply
      6. Heather says

        February 24, 2020 at 1:36 am

        5 stars
        Another fab recipe, so glad I came across this site. I also roasted up some chilli’s, cherry tomatoes and garlic for a hour or so. I let them cool then added them to a pan with a tad of butter, and the pesto. Once this was warmed through I added the cooked pasta and a couple of spoons of the liquid. Delicious

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          February 24, 2020 at 7:38 pm

          Hi Heather thanks so much, and that sounds delicious. Have a great week.

          Reply
      7. Concetta Barnish says

        September 2, 2018 at 9:27 pm

        5 stars
        Your pesto was easy to make and fantastic to eat.
        I will look forward to more easy recipes

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          September 3, 2018 at 7:31 am

          Hi Concetta, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it. I hope you enjoy the other recipes too. Have a great week.

          Reply
      8. KIMBERLY POPE says

        August 10, 2018 at 3:25 am

        Have you every made pesto with either an avocado or spinach?

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          August 10, 2018 at 8:04 pm

          Hi Kimberly no I haven’t made it with either, but I think the spinach one could be made the same as the Arugula Pesto, I imagine it would be very good. The avocado actually sounds very interesting. 🙂

          Reply
      9. Nilay says

        August 8, 2018 at 11:29 am

        How long can this sauce be restored in the refrigerator?

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          August 8, 2018 at 12:35 pm

          Hi Nilay it can be stored in the fridge up to a week and frozen for up to 6 months. Hope that helps.

          Reply
      10. Dick Servati says

        July 13, 2017 at 7:52 pm

        As an Italian I was drawn to your site by it’s name and really like it. My comment is about the blurb – “He was a Brave Man that first ate an oyster” Jonathan Swift I think the bravest was the guy who said “Did you see what fell out of that chicken’s rear? I think I’ll eat it”.

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          July 13, 2017 at 9:41 pm

          Hi Dick, or what’s in his head and my father-in-law would have eaten it! 🙂

          Reply
      11. Jack Kelly says

        July 13, 2017 at 3:03 pm

        5 stars
        I agree about the food processor. Your pesto recipe is perfect!

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          July 13, 2017 at 3:57 pm

          Thanks Jack, it really is easy and delicious. 🙂

          Reply
      12. Louise says

        July 13, 2017 at 12:56 am

        You didn’t put the garlic in the steps although it’s in the ingredients. I usually put it in first and grind it up real fine.

        Reply
        • Rosemary says

          July 13, 2017 at 3:21 am

          Hi Louise, sorry about that, I added it at the end. 🙂

          Reply

      Hi, I'm Rosemary.

      Living in Italy I learned to cook authentic Italian dishes using whole ingredients, fresh veggies and delicious spices. So take a seat and have a taste! Read More

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