Jump to Recipe The classic Pesto Sauce combines fresh, young Genovese basil leaves with pine nuts, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and a touch of salt for an out-of-this-world flavor! Pesto is an easy-to-make base for so many wonderful pasta meals, dips, dressings, and much more! This traditional old-world Italian sauce blends with cooked pasta for a quick 10-minute dinner any night of the week! Pesto Sauce - Pesto alla Genovese While this traditional pesto sauce was originally made with a mortar and pestle in Genoa, Italy, it now comes together in just minutes with a food processor! This tasty fresh basil pesto sauce is absolutely perfect for quick pasta dinners, pizzas, dips, salad dressings, and more! Plus, it’s an extremely versatile sauce to use with meats. Marinate steak, pork, chicken, or fish in your homemade pesto sauce, or use it to season Italian-inspired meatloaf or meatballs! Classic pesto sauce served on thin spaghetti pasta is a flavorful, quick, and easy family meal!
Jump to:Pesto Sauce - Pesto alla Genovese 🥘 Ingredients 🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions 🧂 Substitutions & Additions 🥡 Storing More Amazing Sauces 📋 Recipe
My fresh basil is growing like crazy on my porch this summer, so this easy homemade pesto is a must-have with the readily available abundance of fresh, young Genovese basil leaves to use! 🥘 Ingredients Pine Nuts - 2 Tablespoons.Garlic - 2 large cloves.Olive Oil - Use ½cup of a good quality extra virgin Italian olive oil.Parmesan cheese - ½ cup freshly grated.Fresh Basil Leaves - 2 cups, approximately 2 oz, young basil leaves are best.Salt - A pinch or enough for your taste. Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips! 🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions My favorite method of making my pesto sauce holds off on adding the basil until the end, that way the pesto sauce retains that vibrant green color from the fresh basil. So to get started, combine two tablespoons of pine nuts (also called piñón, pinoli, or pignoli) and two large garlic cloves in your food processor. Pulse the food processor until the pine nuts and garlic have reached a finely minced texture.With your food processor on the lowest speed setting, slowly drizzle the half cup of extra virgin olive oil into the minced nuts and garlic. Combine on low speed until your sauce reaches a smooth consistency.Add a half cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese along with two cups of fresh basil leaves (young, fresh Genovese basil is traditionally used and is favored by Italian foodie fans). Pulse your food processor in short bursts, just enough to combine the ingredients. Add a pinch of salt, stir it into the pesto and adjust to taste as needed. 🧂 Substitutions & Additions Pine Nut and Nut-Free Alternatives European pine nuts (sometimes toasted) are traditionally used in pesto alla genovese, however, other nuts can be used. My personal favorite runner-up to pine nuts in pesto sauce is walnuts. I always have them on hand, which makes mixing up pesto on the fly a snap. Other nut varieties that could be used in pesto sauce include almonds, pistachios, pecans, macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, cashews, Brazil nuts, or sesame seeds. To make pesto without pine nuts or any nut variety, simply omit any nut ingredient. The basil will still be vibrant, fresh, and delicious! Parmesan and Dairy-Free Alternatives To substitute for Parmesan cheese, the best choices for a classic pesto flavor are other hard Italian cheeses such as Romano, Asiago, Pecorino, Machego, Grana Padano (the closest Parmesan cheese flavor substitute). Readily available cheeses here in the states can also be used, such as a good aged sharp or extra sharp cheddar, preferably white cheddar. While hard cheese is typically used in pesto, experimenting with softer cheeses has been done by many. It won’t give you the same familiar pesto consistency, but you may find you love your favorite cheese as part of your homemade pesto sauce. Have fun and be creative! For those with, or cooking for someone with, dairy allergies you can simply omit the cheese entirely. The basil and nuts combine to make a fantastic sauce with or without any cheese element.
🥡 Storing To store your classic pesto sauce in the refrigerator, transfer the sauce to a jar or air-tight container. Pour a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil over the pesto sauce, or place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of your pesto sauce. This will keep the cut basil in the sauce from oxidizing and turning brown. Homemade pesto will last for up to a week in the refrigerator but is best used within the first half of the week. The same applies to freezing your pesto. To keep the pesto vibrant and fresh-looking when you use it later, transfer the pesto to a jar and fill it approximately ¾ full. Cover with a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil. Seal tightly with the screw-on lid, then freeze for up to one month. You can also transfer the homemade pesto to small snack-size Ziploc plastic storage bags. Squeeze all of the excess air out of the storage bags and seal securely. These will also keep in the freezer for about one month. More Amazing Sauces Arrabbiata SaucePonzu SauceTzatziki SauceChicken Wing SauceHawaiian BBQ SauceTeriyaki Sauce
Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Stay in touch with me through social media @ Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Don’t forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!
📋 Recipe
Print Recipe Leave A Comment Love This Recipe?Click On A Star To Rate It! 5 from 1 review
Basil Pesto Sauce {Pesto alla Genovese}
The classic Basil Pesto Sauce combines fresh, young Genovese basil leaves with pine nuts, olive oil, Parmesan cheese and a touch of salt for an out of this world flavor! Pesto is an easy to make base for so many wonderful pasta meals, dips, dressings and much more! This traditional old world Italian sauce blends with cooked pasta for a quick 10 minute dinner any night of the week!
Author | Angela
Servings: 6 servings Calories: 218kcal Prep 10 minutes Cooking 0 minutes Total Time 10 minutes
Pin Recipe Share on Facebook Ingredients US CustomaryMetric1x2x3x▢ 2 tablespoon pine nuts▢ 2 large cloves garlic▢ ½ cup olive oil▢ ½ cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)▢ 2 cups fresh basil leaves (approximately 2 oz, young basil leaves are best)▢ 1 pinch salt (to taste)
InstructionsCombine pine nuts and garlic in a food processor and process until very finely minced. Leave your food processor on low speed and drizzle the olive oil into the minced ingredients. Combine until the mixture is smooth.Add the grated Parmesan cheese and basil leaves then pulse the food processor in short bursts, just enough to thoroughly combine the sauce ingredients. Season with a pinch of salt, stir, and adjust to taste as needed. NotesPlease see the post above for storage and freezing options. Nut alternatives and cheese alternatives are also discussed, as well as nut-free and dairy-free options.
To serve your pesto on cooked pasta: transfer the cooked al denté pasta to a serving bowl using tongs or a pasta fork ( the saucepan or pot used to boil the pasta will be too hot for the fresh basil pesto ). Add your pesto sauce to the pasta, then add some of the pasta water in spoonfuls bit by bit. Stir between each addition to combine and emulsify the sauce. This recipe will use about ¼ cup of the pasta water to make your perfect pesto pasta! NutritionCalories: 218kcal (11%) | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 4g (8%) | Fat: 22g (34%) | Saturated Fat: 4g (25%) | Cholesterol: 6mg (2%) | Sodium: 141mg (6%) | Potassium: 51mg (1%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 1g (1%) | Vitamin A: 487IU (10%) | Vitamin C: 2mg (2%) | Calcium: 115mg (12%) | Iron: 1mg (6%) Did you try this recipe? Rate it below!I can’t wait to see your results! Mention @bake_it_with_love or tag #bake_it_with_love! basil pesto sauce, easy pesto sauce, homemade pesto, pesto alla genovese, pesto for pasta Course Condiments, SaucesCuisine Italian Save Angela @ BakeItWithLove.comAngela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma’s kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love! bakeitwithlove.com/about/
The classic Pesto Sauce combines fresh, young Genovese basil leaves with pine nuts, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and a touch of salt for an out-of-this-world flavor! Pesto is an easy-to-make base for so many wonderful pasta meals, dips, dressings, and much more! This traditional old-world Italian sauce blends with cooked pasta for a quick 10-minute dinner any night of the week!
Pesto Sauce - Pesto alla Genovese
While this traditional pesto sauce was originally made with a mortar and pestle in Genoa, Italy, it now comes together in just minutes with a food processor! This tasty fresh basil pesto sauce is absolutely perfect for quick pasta dinners, pizzas, dips, salad dressings, and more!
Plus, it’s an extremely versatile sauce to use with meats. Marinate steak, pork, chicken, or fish in your homemade pesto sauce, or use it to season Italian-inspired meatloaf or meatballs!
Classic pesto sauce served on thin spaghetti pasta is a flavorful, quick, and easy family meal!
My fresh basil is growing like crazy on my porch this summer, so this easy homemade pesto is a must-have with the readily available abundance of fresh, young Genovese basil leaves to use!
🥘 Ingredients
- Pine Nuts - 2 Tablespoons.Garlic - 2 large cloves.Olive Oil - Use ½cup of a good quality extra virgin Italian olive oil.Parmesan cheese - ½ cup freshly grated.Fresh Basil Leaves - 2 cups, approximately 2 oz, young basil leaves are best.Salt - A pinch or enough for your taste.
Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!
🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
My favorite method of making my pesto sauce holds off on adding the basil until the end, that way the pesto sauce retains that vibrant green color from the fresh basil.
- So to get started, combine two tablespoons of pine nuts (also called piñón, pinoli, or pignoli) and two large garlic cloves in your food processor. Pulse the food processor until the pine nuts and garlic have reached a finely minced texture.With your food processor on the lowest speed setting, slowly drizzle the half cup of extra virgin olive oil into the minced nuts and garlic. Combine on low speed until your sauce reaches a smooth consistency.Add a half cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese along with two cups of fresh basil leaves (young, fresh Genovese basil is traditionally used and is favored by Italian foodie fans). Pulse your food processor in short bursts, just enough to combine the ingredients. Add a pinch of salt, stir it into the pesto and adjust to taste as needed.
🧂 Substitutions & Additions
Pine Nut and Nut-Free Alternatives
European pine nuts (sometimes toasted) are traditionally used in pesto alla genovese, however, other nuts can be used. My personal favorite runner-up to pine nuts in pesto sauce is walnuts. I always have them on hand, which makes mixing up pesto on the fly a snap.
Other nut varieties that could be used in pesto sauce include almonds, pistachios, pecans, macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, cashews, Brazil nuts, or sesame seeds.
To make pesto without pine nuts or any nut variety, simply omit any nut ingredient. The basil will still be vibrant, fresh, and delicious!
Parmesan and Dairy-Free Alternatives
To substitute for Parmesan cheese, the best choices for a classic pesto flavor are other hard Italian cheeses such as Romano, Asiago, Pecorino, Machego, Grana Padano (the closest Parmesan cheese flavor substitute). Readily available cheeses here in the states can also be used, such as a good aged sharp or extra sharp cheddar, preferably white cheddar.
While hard cheese is typically used in pesto, experimenting with softer cheeses has been done by many. It won’t give you the same familiar pesto consistency, but you may find you love your favorite cheese as part of your homemade pesto sauce. Have fun and be creative!
For those with, or cooking for someone with, dairy allergies you can simply omit the cheese entirely. The basil and nuts combine to make a fantastic sauce with or without any cheese element.
🥡 Storing
To store your classic pesto sauce in the refrigerator, transfer the sauce to a jar or air-tight container. Pour a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil over the pesto sauce, or place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of your pesto sauce. This will keep the cut basil in the sauce from oxidizing and turning brown.
Homemade pesto will last for up to a week in the refrigerator but is best used within the first half of the week.
The same applies to freezing your pesto. To keep the pesto vibrant and fresh-looking when you use it later, transfer the pesto to a jar and fill it approximately ¾ full. Cover with a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil. Seal tightly with the screw-on lid, then freeze for up to one month.
You can also transfer the homemade pesto to small snack-size Ziploc plastic storage bags. Squeeze all of the excess air out of the storage bags and seal securely. These will also keep in the freezer for about one month.
More Amazing Sauces
- Arrabbiata SaucePonzu SauceTzatziki SauceChicken Wing SauceHawaiian BBQ SauceTeriyaki Sauce
Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Stay in touch with me through social media @ Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Don’t forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!
📋 Recipe
Print Recipe Leave A Comment Love This Recipe?Click On A Star To Rate It! 5 from 1 review
Basil Pesto Sauce {Pesto alla Genovese}
The classic Basil Pesto Sauce combines fresh, young Genovese basil leaves with pine nuts, olive oil, Parmesan cheese and a touch of salt for an out of this world flavor! Pesto is an easy to make base for so many wonderful pasta meals, dips, dressings and much more! This traditional old world Italian sauce blends with cooked pasta for a quick 10 minute dinner any night of the week!
Author | Angela
Servings: 6 servings Calories: 218kcal Prep 10 minutes Cooking 0 minutes Total Time 10 minutes
Pin Recipe Share on Facebook Ingredients US CustomaryMetric1x2x3x▢ 2 tablespoon pine nuts▢ 2 large cloves garlic▢ ½ cup olive oil▢ ½ cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)▢ 2 cups fresh basil leaves (approximately 2 oz, young basil leaves are best)▢ 1 pinch salt (to taste)
InstructionsCombine pine nuts and garlic in a food processor and process until very finely minced. Leave your food processor on low speed and drizzle the olive oil into the minced ingredients. Combine until the mixture is smooth.Add the grated Parmesan cheese and basil leaves then pulse the food processor in short bursts, just enough to thoroughly combine the sauce ingredients. Season with a pinch of salt, stir, and adjust to taste as needed. NotesPlease see the post above for storage and freezing options. Nut alternatives and cheese alternatives are also discussed, as well as nut-free and dairy-free options.
To serve your pesto on cooked pasta: transfer the cooked al denté pasta to a serving bowl using tongs or a pasta fork ( the saucepan or pot used to boil the pasta will be too hot for the fresh basil pesto ). Add your pesto sauce to the pasta, then add some of the pasta water in spoonfuls bit by bit. Stir between each addition to combine and emulsify the sauce. This recipe will use about ¼ cup of the pasta water to make your perfect pesto pasta! NutritionCalories: 218kcal (11%) | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 4g (8%) | Fat: 22g (34%) | Saturated Fat: 4g (25%) | Cholesterol: 6mg (2%) | Sodium: 141mg (6%) | Potassium: 51mg (1%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 1g (1%) | Vitamin A: 487IU (10%) | Vitamin C: 2mg (2%) | Calcium: 115mg (12%) | Iron: 1mg (6%) Did you try this recipe? Rate it below!I can’t wait to see your results! Mention @bake_it_with_love or tag #bake_it_with_love! basil pesto sauce, easy pesto sauce, homemade pesto, pesto alla genovese, pesto for pasta Course Condiments, SaucesCuisine Italian
Save
Do you love a recipe you tried? Please leave a 5-star 🌟rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Stay in touch with me through social media @ Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter! Don’t forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!
Love This Recipe?Click On A Star To Rate It!
5 from 1 review
Basil Pesto Sauce {Pesto alla Genovese}
The classic Basil Pesto Sauce combines fresh, young Genovese basil leaves with pine nuts, olive oil, Parmesan cheese and a touch of salt for an out of this world flavor! Pesto is an easy to make base for so many wonderful pasta meals, dips, dressings and much more! This traditional old world Italian sauce blends with cooked pasta for a quick 10 minute dinner any night of the week!
Author | Angela
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 218kcal
Prep 10 minutes
Cooking 0 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Ingredients US CustomaryMetric1x2x3x▢ 2 tablespoon pine nuts▢ 2 large cloves garlic▢ ½ cup olive oil▢ ½ cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)▢ 2 cups fresh basil leaves (approximately 2 oz, young basil leaves are best)▢ 1 pinch salt (to taste)
InstructionsCombine pine nuts and garlic in a food processor and process until very finely minced. Leave your food processor on low speed and drizzle the olive oil into the minced ingredients. Combine until the mixture is smooth.Add the grated Parmesan cheese and basil leaves then pulse the food processor in short bursts, just enough to thoroughly combine the sauce ingredients. Season with a pinch of salt, stir, and adjust to taste as needed.
NotesPlease see the post above for storage and freezing options. Nut alternatives and cheese alternatives are also discussed, as well as nut-free and dairy-free options.
To serve your pesto on cooked pasta: transfer the cooked al denté pasta to a serving bowl using tongs or a pasta fork ( the saucepan or pot used to boil the pasta will be too hot for the fresh basil pesto ). Add your pesto sauce to the pasta, then add some of the pasta water in spoonfuls bit by bit. Stir between each addition to combine and emulsify the sauce. This recipe will use about ¼ cup of the pasta water to make your perfect pesto pasta!
Nutrition
Calories: 218kcal (11%) | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 4g (8%) | Fat: 22g (34%) | Saturated Fat: 4g (25%) | Cholesterol: 6mg (2%) | Sodium: 141mg (6%) | Potassium: 51mg (1%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 1g (1%) | Vitamin A: 487IU (10%) | Vitamin C: 2mg (2%) | Calcium: 115mg (12%) | Iron: 1mg (6%)
Did you try this recipe? Rate it below!I can’t wait to see your results! Mention @bake_it_with_love or tag #bake_it_with_love!
Course Condiments, SaucesCuisine Italian
US CustomaryMetric
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.comAngela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma’s kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love! bakeitwithlove.com/about/
