At the end of every summer I always have an abundance of basil leaves from my herb garden. One great way to use it up? Making a batch of the easiest homemade pesto!

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This pesto can be used in so many recipes. From pastas, marinades & dips to compound butters, pesto is always a great item to have on hand!

This recipe freezes really well! After making, place pesto in airtight containers and immediately place in the freezer. I like to freeze it in smaller containers so you can take out just what you need for one meal. You could also freeze it in an ice tray. Once frozen into cubes, remove the cubes from trays and place in Ziploc bags.

Be sure to store your pesto right away, it begins to oxidize quite quickly causing it to lose it’s bright green color!

What You Will Need

2 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed and cleaned

3 garlic cloves

1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

3/4 – 1 cup olive oil

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

I like to remove the basil leaves from the larger stems but the smaller stems will be just fine in the pesto.

You will want to use anywhere from 3/4 cup to 1 cup of olive oil, depending on how thin you like your pesto. Pour it in your food processor slowly until you have reached your desired consistency.

How to Make Pesto

In a small pan, toast pine nuts over medium-low heat until light golden brown. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

In a blender or food processor, add garlic cloves, kosher salt, basil leaves, parmesan cheese and toasted pine nuts.

Pulse until mixture is a paste.

Slowly drizzle in olive oil as it continues to blend on low speed.

Once blended, store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

The pesto can also be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Enjoy!

For some delicious ways to use this recipe, try out my Grilled Lamb Chops with Pesto or my Pesto Pasta Salad!

I hope you enjoy this homemade pesto recipe! Comment below and let me what dish you make using your pesto!