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Sauces · Italian

Basil Pesto

Toasted garlic, golden pine nuts and a big handful of basil, blended into a jar of summer.

Hands-on
20 min
Total
20 min
Makes
180 ml (about 3/4 cup)
Serves
4

About 20 minutes in total. While the garlic and nuts toast, dry the basil and grate the cheese.

  • easy
  • gluten-free
  • no-cook-sauce
  • pasta
  • summer
  • freezer-friendly
  • 5-ingredients

Verified against at least two trusted test kitchens or food-safety guides · Last checked · What this means

Illustration of Basil Pesto
Amount
Units

Ingredients

You need: 25 cm (10 in) frying pan · plate for cooling · food processor · salad spinner or clean tea towel · fine grater · spatula · clean jar or airtight container · ice cube tray (for freezing)

Contains: tree nuts · milk

Method

  1. Wash and dry the basil

    Pick the leaves off the basil until you have 2 cups (480 ml), lightly packed. Rinse them and dry them thoroughly in a salad spinner or a clean tea towel. Oil and water don't mix, so wet leaves make a loose, watery pesto.

  2. Toast the garlic

    Put the 3 unpeeled garlic cloves in a dry 25 cm (10 in) frying pan over medium heat. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring now and then.

    Ready when: The garlic smells fragrant and the papery skins are just starting to brown.

  3. Add the pine nuts

    Add 36 g (1/4 cup) pine nuts to the pan with the garlic and keep cooking for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring. Then tip everything onto a plate so the hot pan stops cooking it.

    Ready when: The nuts are golden and the garlic skins are spotted brown. Take the pan off the heat as soon as you see this.

    Otto tried this firstOtto walks off to find the grater and comes back to dark, smoking pine nuts. Stay at the pan and tip them out the moment they turn golden.

  4. Peel the garlic

    When the garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze or peel off the skins.

  5. Blend

    Put the peeled garlic, toasted pine nuts, the basil, 105 ml (7 tbsp) olive oil, 25 g (1/4 cup) grated Parmesan and 1/2 tsp salt in the food processor. Process for about 1 minute until smooth, stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed. Taste and season with more salt and pepper.

  6. Use or store

    Use it right away, or spoon it into a clean airtight container. Smooth the top and cover it with about 1 tbsp olive oil, or press plastic wrap directly onto the surface. Write the date on it and refrigerate. For longer storage, freeze it in an ice cube tray.

Swaps

  • Instead of pine nuts: almonds or walnuts, for some or all of them, same amount Toast them the same way, until golden and fragrant.
  • Instead of some of the Parmesan: Pecorino Romano: swap 1 tbsp of the Parmesan for 1 tbsp finely grated Pecorino Gives a sharper flavour.

Don’t swap

  • jarred chopped garlic for fresh cloves

Make ahead, store & reheat

Make ahead
Make it up to 3 days ahead and keep it in the fridge, covered with a thin layer of oil or plastic wrap pressed onto the surface. For anything longer, freeze it.
Storage
Fridge: up to 3 days is our target (the food-safety limit for homemade pesto is 4 days). Never store it at room temperature. Freezer: spoon into an ice cube tray, cover and freeze, then move the cubes to an airtight container. Use within 1 month for the best flavour (up to 3 months); quality fades with time.
Reheat
Don't cook pesto. Toss it with freshly cooked, drained pasta. The heat of the pasta warms it and brings out the aroma.

If something goes wrong

  • Pesto turns dark on top Why: Air reaches the surface and the basil darkens.
    Cover the surface with a thin layer of oil or press plastic wrap onto it. Adding 2 tbsp fresh parsley leaves with the basil, or pulsing in 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, also helps it stay greener.
  • Burnt, bitter taste Why: The pine nuts or garlic toasted too dark.
    Toast over medium heat, stir, and tip everything out of the pan as soon as the nuts are golden.
  • Watery pesto Why: The basil was still wet.
    Dry the leaves thoroughly before blending.

Good to know

  • One batch is enough to dress 450 g (1 lb) of pasta.
  • Toasting the garlic in its skin softens its raw bite, and toasting the pine nuts brings out their mild flavour.
  • Freeze it in ice cube trays so you can thaw just what you need.

Safety

  • Raw garlic and fresh herbs in oil can grow Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium that causes botulism, a rare but life-threatening food poisoning. Homemade pesto must be kept in the fridge and used within 4 days, or frozen. Never leave it at room temperature to store it.
  • Label the container with the date you made it. That way you know when to use it up or move it to the freezer.
  • Shop-bought garlic-in-oil products are acidified to make them safe at room temperature. Homemade pesto isn't, so don't store it like a shop jar.
  • The garlic and nuts come out of the pan hot. Let the garlic cool before you peel it.
  • Food processor blades are very sharp. An adult should lift the blade out before anyone scrapes the bowl.
  • Pine nuts are tree nuts. Tell guests, and use a clean processor if someone has a nut allergy.