There’s nothing quite like a fresh, fragrant batch of homemade pesto—especially when it’s made with basil you’ve grown yourself. Every summer, I grow 5–6 basil plants in my garden. This allows me to make about 5 large batches of pesto throughout the season. I then freeze the pesto so that I have a quick and effortless dinner solution during the winter months.
In our house, pesto pasta is a kid-approved dinner winner, but we also love it on chicken and pizza because it instantly creates a flavor explosion. The best part? This pesto recipe is quick to make, versatile, and freezer-friendly—perfect for busy weeknights or easy entertaining.
If you’ve been looking for a pesto recipe that’s fresh, flavorful, and simple to prepare, this one’s for you.
And if you need pasta recipes to go with this pesto, check out a family favorite Chicken Pesto Pasta!
Why You’ll Love This Pesto Recipe
Garden fresh flavor – Basil straight from your garden (or the farmers market) makes all the difference.
Kid-friendly & secretly healthy – I often blend in spinach or kale for added nutrition without my boys noticing.
Freezer-friendly – Mason jars or reusable silicone popsicle trays make portioning easy. One “pesto pop” is just the right amount for a box of pasta.
Versatile – Use it on pasta, pizza, chicken, sandwiches, or stirred into soup.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Pesto
For this fresh homemade pesto recipe, you only need a handful of ingredients:
2 cups fresh basil leaves (packed)
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or Locatelli Pecorino Romano for a sharper flavor)
½ cup extra virgin olive oil – choose a high-quality oil from a single origin for best flavor
1/4 cup pine nuts (or walnuts for a budget-friendly swap)
2–3 garlic cloves (peeled)
½ teaspoon salt (more to taste)
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Optional: squeeze of fresh lemon juice to brighten flavor
💡 Pesto Ingredient Tips:
I highly recommend Locatelli’s Pecorino Romano—an aged Italian sheep’s milk cheese with a sharper, saltier flavor than regular parmesan. If you can’t find it, BelGioioso Parmesan is also great.
Use a high-quality extra virgin olive oil from a single country of origin (like Italy) rather than a blend, which often contains filler oils. Check the label—it should say “Product of Italy” (or another single country).
For vegan pesto, swap the cheese for raw cashews for rich flavor and creaminess.
How to Make Fresh Homemade Pesto
Prep your ingredients – Rinse basil leaves and pat dry.
Blend nuts and garlic – In a blender or food processor, pulse pine nuts and garlic until finely chopped. (Here’s the blender I use — it’s also great for smoothies and soups!)
Add basil and cheese – Toss in basil and Parmesan (or Pecorino Romano), then pulse until combined.
Stream in the oil – With the processor running, slowly add olive oil until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Season and taste – Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice (if using). Adjust to taste.
How to Store & Freeze Pesto
Fresh pesto will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. To freeze, I use small mason jars or silicone popsicle trays. Once frozen, I pop the pesto out of the trays and store the cubes in a zip-top bag. One “pesto pop” is perfect for tossing with a box of pasta.
Pro tip: Fresh pesto also makes a thoughtful gift. Fill small mason jars, screw on plastic lids, and give as Father’s Day, birthday, or hostess gifts in the summertime—people love something homemade.
Serving Ideas for Homemade Pesto
Toss with warm pasta and top with extra parmesan or Pecorino Romano
Spread on sandwiches or wraps
Drizzle over grilled chicken or shrimp
Stir into minestrone or tomato soup
Use as a pizza base for a fresh twist
Fresh Basil Pesto
Ingredients
- 2 cups Fresh Basil packed
- 1/2 cup Frozen or fresh spinach (or kale) (optional for added nutrition)
- 1/2 cup Locatelli Pecorino Romano (or parmesan) fresh grated
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup Pine Nuts You can substitute with cashews
- 2 cloves garlic peeled
- 1/4 tsp Salt more to taste
- 1/4 tsp pepper more to taste
Instructions
- Pick and rinse the Basil
- Combine the basil, spinach/kale, grated cheese, pine nuts, garlic, salt and pepper. Pulse in a food processor or blender several times until the mixture is finely chopped.
- Slowly add the olive oil while pressing the pulse button on your blender. Pulse 3-5 times until everything is combined. If you like a creamier basil, continue pulsing. If you like the mixture finely chopped, with a little bit of texture, you are done!
- Pour into silicone popsicle molds or mason jar. Eat fresh on tomatoes or crackers for a tasty treat! OR freeze for a taste of summer during the winter months.
Notes
- I highly recommend Locatelli’s Pecorino Romano—an aged Italian sheep’s milk cheese with a sharper, saltier flavor than regular parmesan. If you can’t find it, BelGioioso Parmesan is also great.
- Use a high-quality extra virgin olive oil from a single country of origin (like Italy) rather than a blend, which often contains filler oils. Check the label—it should say “Product of Italy” (or another single country).
- For vegan pesto, swap the cheese for raw cashews for rich flavor and creaminess.
How to Make Fresh Homemade Pesto
- Prep your ingredients – Rinse basil leaves and pat dry.
- Blend nuts and garlic – In a blender or food processor, pulse pine nuts and garlic until finely chopped. (Here’s the blender I use — it’s also great for smoothies and soups!)
- Add basil and cheese – Toss in basil and Parmesan (or Pecorino Romano), then pulse until combined.
- Stream in the oil – With the processor running, slowly add olive oil until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Season and taste – Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice (if using). Adjust to taste.
How to Store & Freeze Pesto
Fresh pesto will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. To freeze, I use small mason jars or silicone popsicle trays. Once frozen, I pop the pesto out of the trays and store the cubes in a zip-top bag. One “pesto pop” is perfect for tossing with a box of pasta. Pro tip: Fresh pesto also makes a thoughtful gift. Fill small mason jars, screw on plastic lids, and give as Father’s Day, birthday, or hostess gifts in the summertime—people love something homemade.Serving Ideas for Homemade Pesto
- Toss with warm pasta and top with extra parmesan or Pecorino Romano
- Spread on sandwiches or wraps
- Drizzle over grilled chicken or shrimp
- Stir into minestrone or tomato soup
- Use as a pizza base for a fresh twist
