Pesto’s origin is Genoa, where cooks used mortars and pestles to grind basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic and cheese together, then mixed in olive oil. This basic, versatile sauce is now a breeze to blend in a food processor for a sauce, paste or dip. Most recipes call for fresh basil, pine nuts, a cheese—Parmesan, pecorino or a blend, usually—and extra-virgin olive oil. Aromatic, fresh-flavor basil marries well with the umami taste of cheese and the fullness of olive oil. Pesto is popular mixed with pasta along with cooked potatoes and green beans. It’s delicious spread on grilled sandwiches, drizzled on cooked vegetables or minestrone, added to flat-bread pizzas and served as a dip for pita chips, raw veggies or focaccia bread. Experiment with ingredients for this basic sauce. Swap fresh spinach or arugula for basil, try walnuts instead of pine nuts or add a different Italian-style hard cheese.

Key Pesto Ingredients
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Basil: Italian basil is a good choice. Rinse and pat dry before using. If desired, swap some or all with spinach, arugula and/or parsley.
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Olive Oil: Extra-virgin olive oil supplies a smooth, rounded flavor for the aromatic basil and garlic. As the main liquid, it smooths the cheese into the other ingredients. Choose a good-quality olive oil.
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Pine Nuts: Most recipes call for toasted pine nuts, as they add a subtle buttery flavor. Toast pine nuts in a small nonstick skillet until fragrant; cool slightly. Other nuts to try: walnuts, almonds, pistachios.
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Parmesan: Flavorful yet not too sharp or salty, Parmesan (Parmigiano-Reggiano) balances pesto’s ingredients. Also try asiago or Pecorino Romano.
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Garlic: If making a larger amount of pesto, roast garlic to give it a toasty, slightly sweet flavor with less bite. Peel outer layers of whole bulb, then cut a slice off the top of the cloves. Drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil and place in small baking dish. Roast up to 60 minutes in 350°F oven.
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Lemon: Fresh lemon juice adds a zesty citrus note to pesto. The juice of one lemon equals about 2 tablespoons.

How to Make Classic Genovese Pesto

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See the Classic Genovese Pesto recipe

3 Ways to Use Pesto

Peach-and-Blackberry Flatbreads

Basil pesto sauce offers a tasty contrast to fresh fruit and creamy burrata cheese.

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View recipe

How to Store Pesto

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Keep in refrigerator up to 3 days or in freezer up to 1 month. Thaw frozen pesto in fridge overnight.