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Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe· 5 from 1 review

Everybody loves a good pesto sauce, right? It goes with just about any dish and it is hard to get sick of it! It goes well on pasta, chicken, salmon, nourish bowls, toast, sandwiches, pizza, scrambled eggs, etc. It can even be used as a dip for some fresh veggies or crackers. The options are truly endless!

Basil pesto ingredients

You’re going to love how easy and flavorful this pesto recipe is with just a handful of simple ingredients. It’s actually made without pine nuts so it’ll save you some money as well! Here’s what you’ll need:

Fresh basil: this herb is the classic pesto flavor and for good reason! I love having basil plants on my back patio to use whenever needed. They’re inexpensive to purchase, are easy to care for, and grow like crazy!
Nuts or seeds of choice: Use whatever nut or seed you have on hand or prefer. You can even use a combination of them!
Garlic: garlic is a must for pesto recipes.
Lemon juice: a squeeze of fresh lemon juice adds a lovely brightness to the pesto and also keeps it fresh for longer.
Olive oil: this helps blend the sauce nicely and adds delicious depth to the flavor.
Salt & pepper: to bring out all of the flavors.
Optional parmesan: to add a salty and savory twist to the pesto. It’s totally optional though! Most of the time I don’t add it because I don’t always have it on hand, but it’s a lovely addition if you have it.

Tips for storing

Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. If you want to preserve the color, put fresh lemon juice or a small amount of olive oil on top of the sauce.
To freeze: Put in a freezer-friendly container and freeze for up to 3 months. Let it thaw at room temperature for 30 mins or in the refrigerator overnight.
To freeze small portions: Place in a freezer-friendly container and you can simply scoop out as much as you want when needed, or you can freeze the pesto in portions by using a silicone ice cube tray. Once frozen, place the cubes in a freezer-friendly container. That way, you’ll have portioned out cubes when needed. Let it thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

I hope you love this pesto sauce! If you make it, be sure to leave a comment & rating to let me know how you liked it. I would also love to know what you used it for!

Homemade Pesto Sauce

Print Recipe

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5 from 1 review

There’s no need for pine nuts in this pesto sauce because you can use any nut or seed you have on hand. My favorite is using cashews, but you can also use walnuts, almonds, etc. Also feel free to sub for a seed such as pumpkin seeds. See notes for how to!

Author: Christine Manes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 8 servings 1x
Category: Condiment
Method: Food Processor
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Scale

2 garlic cloves

1/2 cup nuts (75g) – pine nuts, cashews, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, or pecans

1/2 cup olive oil

2 cups packed sweet basil leaves (45 g or 1.5 oz)

1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt, more to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/3 cup parmesan cheese (optional – reduce olive oil to 1/3 cup if omitting cheese)

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Instructions

In a food processor, blend together the garlic cloves, nuts, and olive oil (use 1/3 cup oil for the dairy free version, but use 1/2 cup for the version that includes the cheese).
Add the basil, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, and parmesan (if using). Blend until smooth.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Please leave a review and a comment if you made this recipe! It helps my website more than you know and I truly appreciate it!