Homemade Basil Pesto (Classic Pesto Genovese)
A fresh, vibrant basil pesto that’s quick, easy, and incredibly versatile. Perfect tossed through pasta, salads, or roasted vegetables.
Servings: 4 people
Equipment
- Mortar and pestle (or food processor)
Ingredients
- 2 garlic cloves
- 40 grams pine nuts (4 tablespoons)
- 50 grams fresh basil leaves (anything from 50 - 60 grams)
- 40 grams parmesan finely grated
- 15 grams pecorino finely grated
- 80 ml olive oil (⅓ cup)
- sea salt
Instructions
In a mortar and pestle
- Make sure you check out the photos in post above!
- This is optional but I like to toast the pine nuts. I do this dry in a fry pan over a medium heat. Toss them around for a few minutes until lightly golden.
- In the mortar and pestle, grind the garlic cloves with a big pinch of sea salt until it forms a runny paste.
- Add the pine nuts to the garlic and grind down into a fine paste.
- Give the basil leaves a rough chop and add a handful at a time (I do it in about three seperate lots). Grind gently around and around until the basil breaks down into a paste.
- Keep adding the rest of the basil until it is really well incorporated. This takes time so be patient!
- Mix the cheese through, it will be really thick at this stage.
- Drizzle in the oil and mix through. Add more or less oil depending on your texture preference.
- If you are putting into fridge straight away, drizzle a little layer of oil over the top before covering.
In a food processor
- This is very similar to above. I do really recommend doing it by hand if at all possible, there is a flavor difference.
- I use a mini food processor but use whatever you have. Put the blade in the freezer for at least 10 minutes.
- Finely chop the garlic then add to the processor along with the pine nuts and a big pinch of salt. Blend until it forms a paste.
- Roughly chop the basil then add all at once and pulse until it is well incorporated. Don't over mix as the heat from the machine can affect the basil.
- Transfer the mixture into a bowl then add the cheese and mix well with a spoon.
- Drizzle in the oil and mix through. Add more or less oil depending on your texture preference.
- If you are putting into fridge straight away, drizzle a little layer of oil over the top before covering.
Notes
Cheese - You can definitely use all parmesan if that's what you have. It needs to be really finely grated either with a microplane or the star side of a box grater. I personally like to use a smoothie maker to grind it into a fine powder. I would say my recipe is cheese heavy as I generally use this in pasta, feel free to decrease slightly!
Olive oil - You want to use a good quality oil but something with a mild flavor. We want the basil to shine so anything really strong and grassy will over power.
Mortar and pestle vs food processor - the flavor is better in a mortar and pestle because the gentle grinding releases the oils and flavor in the basil. In saying that any fresh pesto is great and the food processor method is so quick and easy so do what suits you.
To use as a pasta sauce - basil does not like heat so it should never be put directly on heat in a fry pan. Add the pesto to a big mixing bowl then add your cooked pasta straight in with a little splash of pasta water. Toss it or mix around and around for 1 - 2 minutes until the cheese in the pesto melts and it coats the pasta.
Use it in my very popular creamy pesto pasta!