No need for store-bought pesto anymore. This recipe is so easy with just 5 ingredients. And it takes just 5 min to make too!
Prep time: PT5M
Total time: PT5M
Rating
4.92 stars (100 reviews)
Ingredients
1 cup fresh basil leaves
3 cloves garlic (peeled)
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
1/3 cup olive oil
Steps
To make the pesto, combine basil, garlic, pine nuts and Parmesan in the bowl of a food processor; season with salt and pepper, to taste. With the motor running, add olive oil in a slow stream until emulsified; set aside.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Reviews
Elizabeth Mulgrew on 2025-10-27 (5 stars): I am pretty unacquainted with pesto and have been wanting to try it. This was easy, as the recipe title says, and the flavor of the basil comes shining through. Used it with heirloom tomatoes on ciabatta bread for breakfast - delicious!
Lea OBrien on 2025-07-20 (5 stars): The measurements were perfect! I had a basil plant that needed trimming! Watch the pine nuts closely or they will burn.
Iris MacPherson on 2025-06-17 (5 stars): We love this recipe! Simple easy and super delicious!
I make it at least once a week during the summer.
Thank you for sharing such a lovely recipe.
Douglas Patrick on 2025-05-29 (5 stars): You can absolutely use shivered almonds or any nut you like. Pistachios are good too. But almonds are creamy like pine nuts.
Hiria Wallace on 2025-02-21 (5 stars): You can freeze into small ziplock bags. Take out of freezer as needed.
Hills Cafe on 2024-11-28 (5 stars): Thank you for the great recipe! I love how quick and easy this pesto is to make. Fresh and vibrant, it’s perfect for busy weeknights. Can’t wait to try it with some fresh basil!
April Ammeter on 2024-09-07 (5 stars): I adore this pesto recipe! And so do all the people I share the pesto and recipe with. I do toast the pine nuts, and I’ve also made it with toasted walnuts. It is great either way. And it freezes nicely so when my green thumb hubby comes in with gigantic bundles of basil, I fill a drawer in the freezer with “pesto penguins” - I have a silicone ice cube tray that makes large penguin shaped cubes, which are not only adorable but one penguin is a perfect serving size on pasta, so I can just take out as many penguins as I need to defrost!
Lark on 2024-08-25 (5 stars): Great and easy pesto recipe! I toasted my pine nuts because I think it gives them a nice flavor! When my basil goes crazy again I most definitely will make this!!!
Charmaine A Krob on 2024-08-19 (5 stars): Can I freeze the Pesto? Have lots of Basil in my garden.
freya Cumming on 2024-07-22 (5 stars): Hi,
can you freeze this pesto mix? if i made ion bulk, separated into portions, etc?
B’ in Ohio on 2024-07-18 (5 stars): I just made this pesto recipe and it’s great!
Emily Mudrick on 2024-07-17 (5 stars): With a few tweaks for personal preference, this recipe is simple and amazing. I had more basil so I added more garlic, lemon juice and cheese. Very tasty straight off the fork. Cant wait to try it for pasta salad
Spencer on 2024-06-19 (5 stars): Delish! When I eat the store-bought stuff, I don’t feel well. I wondered what I was going to do since I love pesto. I winder no more. And this was a breeze to make!!
Matt on 2024-05-25 (5 stars): First time making pesto with pesto, sweet, and spicy basil from my garden. It was delicious tossed with spaghetti and salmon. I can't wait to make it again with toasting the pine nuts and garlic.
Viv Barker on 2024-01-09 (5 stars): This is a great recipe -- pretty much exactly the same ingredients/ proportions I've been using for 40-some years. I picked up some good tips from the comments. Especially like the idea of lightly toasting the pignoli nuts beforehand. Also agree with many that (for our taste), only 2 (but large-ish) cloves of garlic is just right.
Here's my tip: I started making this back in Brooklyn in the early 1980's, when fresh basil was only available for about 3 weeks every June. Some Italian source said keeps indefinitely in fridge under an inch of olive oil -- and they were right. I also took their advice to use a nice heavy crock. Every June I'd make about a quart, into crock, under 1" EVOO. It kept its flavor for about... nine months!!
Kelly on 2023-12-02 (5 stars): Do I need to cut the stems off of the basil leaves? Thanks!
Janet Surrett on 2023-10-09 (5 stars): Pesto is fabulous! But I wonder where the five minutes preparation comes from!1. It took 20 minutes just to clean and pull the Basil leaves off the stalks. How packed should the 1 cup basil leaves be ?
JanAz on 2023-09-24 (5 stars): The simplest pesto recipe turned out to be a Best!
