Homemade Pesto
Homemade pesto is wildly good. Deliciously herbaceous, fresh, creamy and punchy all at once. Change up the herbs to really make it your own.
Homemade Pesto
Homemade Pesto
Homemade Pesto
There’s something about making your own pesto from scratch. It’s such a humble set of ingredients that become luxurious simply stirred through perfectly al dente pasta.
This homemade pesto recipe is so easy to make, I have shown how to make it old school in a mortar and pestle, but have also given instructions on how to whizz it up in a food processor.
Is there anything more versatile than pesto? (the correct answer is no) Add pesto to your favourite pasta, pizza or focaccia, serve as a dip, top over grilled meat or stir pesto through a creamy sauce like this Marry Me Pesto Chicken recipe and love your life.
Serve in an airtight container for up to three days.
Yes, store in the freezer for about three months.
Sub pine nuts for cashews, almonds or hazelnuts. Try swapping basil for parsley, coriander or even kale.
Ingredients and substitutions
How to make it - step by step!
Add garlic and a little salt to a mortar and pestle and crush into bits.
Add chopped herbs and bash until they become wilted down, then add pine nuts, bash into a paste.
Add olive oil and stir through, then add parmesan cheese and lemon zest, salt and pepper, stir through again with your pestle pounding and stirring until you get your desired consistency.
Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Add garlic and a little salt to a mortar and pestle and crush into bits.
Add chopped herbs and bash until they become wilted down, then add pine nuts, bash into a paste.
Add olive oil and stir through, then add parmesan cheese and lemon zest, salt and pepper, stir through again with your pestle pounding and stirring until you get your desired consistency.
Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Watch the how to video
Watch the how to video
Homemade Pesto
- 1.5 cups fresh basil
- 1 cup rocket / arugula
- 80g pine nuts
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ lemon zest
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
Make pesto using a mortar and pestle:
- Add garlic and a little salt to a mortar and pestle and crush into bits
- Add chopped herbs and bash until they become wilted down, then add pine nuts, bash into a paste
- Add olive oil and stir through, then add parmesan cheese and lemon zest, salt and pepper, stir through again with your pestle pounding and stirring until you get your desired consistency. Taste and season.
Make pesto using a food processor:
- Add all the ingredients except for the olive oil in a food processor, blitz to combine.
- While the processor is running, slowly add in the olive oil and blitz until you get your desired consistency. Scrape down the sides or add a little more oil if needed.