Basil Pesto Recipe (Pesto Pasta)

Traditional basil pesto recipe, made with just 8 ingredients is an amazing condiment to have on hand to brighten up pasta, salads and sandwiches. Learn how to make basil pesto and its uses with step by step pictures and video. 

Basil pesto

Basil Pesto Recipe - Basil Pesto Pasta Recipe with step wise pictures. Super flavourful pesto sauce which has vibrant colour to it. This makes a great lunch box recipe.

Jump to:

• What is Pesto sauce? How to use it?
• Watch Basil pesto video
• About Basil Pesto Recipe
• Basil pesto Ingredients 
• Choosing Basil Leaves
• Pesto Recipe Variations 
• Pesto Pasta (Tips for Creamy Pasta)
• How to Make Basil Pesto (Stepwise Pictures)
• Expert Tips
• FAQ
• 📖 Recipe Card

Basil plant is thriving in my garden. I have both Italian and Thai basil in the garden. Mostly we use Thai basil in making our family favorite  basil chicken which takes place at least once a week in the menu. And I use Italian basil when making pasta or mostly this pesto. 

What is Pesto sauce? How to use it?

Pesto is made with a blend of fresh basil, garlic, toasted pine nuts, parmesan cheese, lemon and olive oil. The sauce doesn’t require any cooking, except roasting pine nuts to release its flavour. Add all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend. You can make this sauce in bulk and freeze it in small container to use in the future too. Check my coriander pesto and parsley cashew pesto.

Pesto sauce is a multi purpose sauce or condiment to have on hand. It has tons of flavour packed in them which brightens any dishes you add them in. You can add pesto to pasta, salads, use as spread for sandwiches, pizza toppings, soup toppings and many more. 

You can make this pesto chicken salad, pesto pizza, hummus and many more. 

Watch Basil pesto video

About Basil Pesto Recipe

Basil pesto is a popular Italian sauce or condiments. It is made with Italian basil also called as genovese basil which also known as flat basil, sweet basil, or Italian basil. The basil has a floral and sweet aroma to it and is pretty mild in flavour compared to Thai basil. 

Pesto sauce is made by blending basil, garlic, Parmesan, pine nuts, lemon, salt, pepper and olive oil. Typically extra virgin olive oil is used in blending the sauce. Since pesto is a no cook sauce, The fruity flavour of the olive oil enhance the flavour of the sauce. 

Basil pesto Ingredients 

Basil leaves - use fresh basil for making pesto which gives maximum flavour and also keeps the pesto sauce bright green in colour. If you are unable to find Italian basil, use Thai basil. 

Pine nuts - traditionally pesto is made with pine nuts. But you can use almonds, walnuts, cashews for making pesto. I like to toast my pine nuts in a dry pan before grinding for nutty taste. 

Garlic - you can add more or less garlic as per your taste. I like to make my pesto sauce slightly garlicky.

Parmesan - one of the most important ingredient in pesto sauce is Parmesan cheese. Use fresh Parmesan cheese, you can either grate it or chop them roughly before grinding. 

Extra virgin olive oil - since this is a no cook sauce, use extra virgin olive oil, EVOO got fruity flavour. 

Lemon - I use lemon zest and lemon juice for bright and zingy flavour in pesto sauce. Lemon helps make the pesto sauce bright green in colour and prevents them from oxidation. 

Choosing Basil Leaves

Traditional pesto sauce is made with Italian basil also called as genovese basil which also known as flat basil, sweet basil, or Italian basil. The basil has a floral and sweet aroma to it and is pretty mild in flavour compared to Thai basil. 

If you can't find fresh basil leaves in your place. I recommend you to try growing them. Basil plant is very easy to grow and it is low maintenance. There is nothing compared to making pesto with fresh basil leaves.

Even though pesto is made with Italian basil, you can make it with any basil leaves. I have made pesto with thai basil leaves too, the flavour was strong still it tasted amazing. Pesto is such a forgiving condiment, you can adapt it as per your preference.

You can even make pesto with coriander leaves, cilantro, mint. if you are short on fresh basil leaves, try adding roasted bell peppers, sun dried tomatoes or harissa to bulk up your pesto. Why not check my healthy alternative pesto made with broccoli.

Pesto Recipe Variations 

Pesto is a very easy to make and basic Italian sauce or condiments. You can amp up the flavour of pesto by adding different ingredients and flavourings in them. The options are endless, let your creativity flow and make amazing pesto. 

Using different nuts - traditionally pesto is made with pine nuts. But you can use almonds, walnuts, cashews for making pesto. 

Variety of herbs - you can make pesto with coriander leaves, mint leaves, parsley, baby spinach or arugula. Check my coriander pesto and parsley cashew pesto.

Thai basil pesto - instead of using Italian basil, you can use Thai basil for an earthy flavour. 

Nut free pesto - if you are allergic to nuts, you can use hemp hearts, or sunflower seeds for making nut free pesto. 

Flavoured pesto - you can use sun dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, roasted garlic or harissa paste in pesto for different flavours. 

Pesto Pasta (Tips for Creamy Pasta)

Once you make pesto sauce, you can use them in variety of dishes. You can add them to cooked pasta, noodles. Use them as spreads for sandwiches, pizza or focaccia. You can add them to salad dressings. It can be served as dips or flavour toppings.

My favorite way to enjoy pesto is in pasta. I like to make pesto pasta very often. Even though the recipe is easy as tossing pasta with pesto sauce. Here are my top tips for making it creamy and bistro style.

To create a creamy sauce out of pesto without the addition of cream requires emulsification. You have to emulsify pesto sauce with the starchy pasta cooking liquid until a creamy sauce is formed. The nuts, lemon juice and olive oil in the pesto helps with this process.

So to make creamy bistro style pesto pasta. Cook pasta as per package directions. Once pasta is cooked, reserve some of the starchy pasta cooking liquid for emulsifying the sauce. Take cooked pasta in a pan, add in pesto sauce, pour some of the starchy pasta water and toss to combine on medium high heat. The olive oil, lemon juice and nuts in the pesto combine with the starchy pasta cooking water to create a creamy sauce. Plate up and enjoy immediately.

How to Make Basil Pesto (Stepwise Pictures)

Toasting Nuts

1)Start by dry toasting pine nuts in a pan for 2 to 3 minutes until it gets slightly toasty and fragrant. If you are planning to use different nuts like cashews, almonds or walnuts, you can dry roast them in a pan too. Toasting the nuts adds so much flavour to the pesto.

Making pesto

2)Now take washed basil leaves in a blender or food processor. Using a food processor will result in a coarse chunky pesto while a blender makes it smooth. I prefer it chunky than smooth.

3)Add in toasted pine nuts and peeled garlic. The amount of garlic in the pesto totally depends on your taste. I add 4 to 5 garlic cloves in my pesto because I love garlic flavour. You can use less if that is what you prefer.

4)Add in parmesan cheese. You can grate parmesan cheese and add into the pesto, But I chop them into pieces which is far easy than grating.

5)Add in lemon zest. This ingredient totally transforms the pesto to a whole new level.

6)Grind these mixture first so the parmesan, garlic and pine nuts is pulverised before adding the lemon juice and olive oil.

7)Now add in salt and black pepper powder.

8)Add in lemon juice. You might need to add more or less lemon juice as per your taste. Some lemons are more acidic than the other. So you have to adjust it to your taste.

9)Add in extra virgin olive oil. EVOO adds so much flavour to the pesto since this sauce is a no cook sauce.

10)Blend the pesto for 1 to 2 minute till it is emulsified and the sauce is done. you can store this pesto sauce in an air tight container. Make sure you have a layer of olive oil drizzled on top which helps with the preservation.

Making Pesto Pasta

11)Bring water to a full boil, season water with salt. Add in pasta and cook as per package directions.

12)Strain the pasta and reserve some of the pasta cooking liquid. Take the strained pasta on a saute pan. Add few dollops of homemade pesto.

13)Pour some of the pasta cooking water. Toss the pasta with pesto and the pasta water for few minutes. The starch in the pasta water incorporates with the nuts and olive oil in the pesto sauce to create a creamy pesto pasta.

14)Pesto Pasta is ready.

15)Enjoy creamy pesto pasta.

Expert Tips

• Use fresh basil leaves for bright and fresh flavour. Wash the basil leaves really well and pat them dry before using. 
• You can either grate Parmesan, or chop them roughly and use. 
• You can add more or less garlic as per your taste. 
• Taste and adjust lemon juice as per your taste. 
• Toasting pine nuts enhances flavour so never skip it. 
• You can use almonds, cashews or walnuts instead of pine nuts. 
• Be generous with the olive oil. 

FAQ

1)What type of basil should we use to make pesto? 

Traditionally pesto sauce is made with Italian basil which is also called as genovese basil which also known as flat basil, sweet basil, or Italian basil. 

2)What other nuts can we use for making pesto? 

traditionally pesto is made with pine nuts. But you can use almonds, walnuts, cashews for making pesto. 

3)How to store homemade pesto sauce?

You can make pesto sauce in bulk and store them in an air tight container in fridge for up to a week. For longer storage freeze them in containers for many months. Thaw them in fridge for a day before using. 

More Pesto & Pesto Recipes to Try

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