Homemade Pesto

This super easy 5 Ingredient Homemade Basil Pesto recipe takes only 5 minutes to make and is so much better than store-bought. Plus, I’ve collected 15 of my favorites recipes to use this pesto in one place. Enjoy!

Love homemade sauces? Then try my Slow Cooker Tomato Sauce and my Bourbon Barbecue Sauce!

Homemade Basil Pesto

What do you do when you have an abundance of basil in your garden? You make pesto! Pesto is super easy to make and doesn’t require a lot of ingredients or time and is a great way to use up extra  basil.

This Homemade Basil Pesto recipe only requires 5 ingredients and 5 minutes of prep time. It’s delicious and super easy to make!

Even better, you can make this fresh in the summer and freeze or can to use all year long. Perfect for sandwiches, grilling, pasta, and so much more!

Why You Should Make your Own Pesto

Simply put, making your own pesto at home tastes so much better and can be customized to your taste. Not to mention it’s so easy to do! You can always add more oil for a thinner pesto or make it thick and chunky with less. If the basil flavor is too strong for your taste substitute spinach leaves. You can also substitute any herbs of nuts you have on hand. I love making pesto with walnuts and pecans.

How To Make Homemade Basil Pesto

Wondering how to make pesto? Simply add of the ingredients — basil, pine nuts, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper — to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Season as needed, and enjoy!

Variations

• Change up the greens and herbs! Mint, parsley, arugula, spinach, kale, broccoli, carrot greens … the options are endless!
• Mix up the nuts! Pecans, walnuts, and almonds work beautifully here.
• Customize the flavor profile to your liking! I like adding lemon juice, walnut oil, sun dried tomatoes, and crushed red pepper flakes.

Storage Instructions for Pesto

Store your homemade pesto in a tightly sealed container. To help extend the life of the pesto cover the top with plastic wrap making sure to touch the top of the pesto so air doesn’t get in. Another trick is to add a thin layer of oil to the top of the pesto to also help keep the air out. Pesto stays good in the refrigerator for up to a week.

You can also freeze it in an ice cube tray. Just leave a little space to top with olive oil to keep it from browning.

15 Perfect Pesto Recipes

Appetizers

• Caprese Crostini by Chef Savvy
• Pesto Pinwheels by Well plated
• Pesto Cheesy Bread by Dinner, then dessert

Breakfast

• Baked Frittata with Arugula Pesto by Gimme some oven
• Avocado Pesto Toast by Cookie and kate
• Pesto Breakfast Sandwich by A couple cooks

Pasta

• Pesto Pasta by Foodie crush
• Pesto Risotto by Chef Savvy
• Walnut Pesto Pasta by Chef Savvy

Sandwiches

• Pesto Grilled Cheese by Gimme delicious
• Pesto Chicken Sandwich by Creme de la crumb

Main dish

• Turkey Pesto Meatballs by Chef Savvy
• Zucchini Noodles with Pesto by Chef Savvy
• Pesto Pizza by Once upon a chef
• Parsley Pesto Gnocchi by Chef Savvy

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