Fresh Homemade Basil Pesto Recipe Easy Freezer-Friendly Steps
A quick and easy homemade basil pesto recipe that is freezer-friendly, preserving fresh flavor and perfect for versatile meals.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: About 1 cup pesto (approximately 10 tablespoons) 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 packed cups fresh basil leaves (about 50g or 1.75 oz), washed and dried
- ½ cup pine nuts (70g or 2.5 oz), lightly toasted
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese (50g or 1.75 oz), finely grated
- 2 medium garlic cloves, peeled
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil (80ml or 2.7 fl oz)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- Pinch of freshly ground black pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until lightly golden and aromatic. Stir frequently and watch closely to avoid burning. Set aside to cool.
- Wash and dry about 2 packed cups of fresh basil leaves thoroughly.
- Pulse the cooled pine nuts in a food processor or blender for 10-15 seconds until finely chopped but not pasty.
- Add basil leaves and garlic cloves to the processor and pulse in short bursts until roughly chopped and mixed with the nuts.
- Add grated Parmesan cheese and fresh lemon juice, pulsing a few times to combine.
- With the processor running on low speed, slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil. Scrape down the sides with a spatula if needed. Continue until the pesto is smooth but slightly textured.
- Add salt and black pepper, pulse once or twice more, then taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
- Spoon pesto into tablespoon-sized portions in an ice cube tray or small freezer-safe containers. Cover tightly and freeze for at least 4 hours.
- Once frozen, transfer pesto cubes to a labeled freezer bag for storage.
Notes
Pulse ingredients in short bursts to avoid over-processing and maintain texture. Toast pine nuts lightly to avoid bitterness. Freeze pesto in small portions for convenience. Thaw pesto overnight in the refrigerator or stir frozen cubes directly into hot dishes. For dairy-free version, omit Parmesan and add nutritional yeast. Pine nuts can be substituted with walnuts or almonds.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon (about
- Calories: 85
- Sugar: 0.2
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 2
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 2
Keywords: basil pesto, homemade pesto, freezer-friendly pesto, basil sauce, easy pesto recipe, Italian sauce, fresh basil, pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic, olive oil