How to make pesto
This Italian no-cook sauce contains garlic, Parmesan, olive oil and lots of fresh basil – whip up a batch ahead and you'll have a quick meal to hand.
Whizz up this classic pesto in a matter of minutes using just five ingredients. This herby sauce is perfect for swirling through pastas and soups, as well as being a delicious topping on pizzas, flatbreads and jacket potatoes.
Ad
Tips for making homemade pesto
- Heat a dry frying pan over a low heat. Add 50g pine nuts and toast until golden, shaking the pan occasionally to ensure they're evenly coloured and don't burn.
- Put the pine nuts into a food processor with 2 garlic cloves, 50g parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), 80g basil and 150ml olive oil.
- Blitz until smooth or pulse for a chunkier consistency. Season to taste.
- Pour the pesto into a jar and cover with a little extra oil, then seal and store in the fridge. Will keep in a fridge for up to two weeks.
Ad
Put your homemade sauce to good use with our easy pesto recipes.
TIPS
USING A HAND BLENDER
If you’re making a small quantity, you can use a hand blender to combine the ingredients.
Sponsored content
Comments, questions and tips
Be the first to comment
We’d love to hear how you got on with this recipe. Did you like it? Do you have suggestions for possible swaps and additions? Or simply ask us your questions...
Ad
Ad
Related guides
App onlyOne-pan pesto, chicken & spinach lasagne. This is a premium piece of content available to registered users.
A star rating of 4.7 out of 5.154 ratings
Spaghetti & meatballs
A star rating of 4.8 out of 5.278 ratings
Red pesto minestrone soup
A star rating of 5 out of 5.10 ratings
You may also like
App onlyOne-pan pesto, chicken & spinach lasagne. This is a premium piece of content available to registered users.
A star rating of 4.7 out of 5.154 ratings
Spaghetti & meatballs
A star rating of 4.8 out of 5.278 ratings
Red pesto minestrone soup
A star rating of 5 out of 5.10 ratings
Ad
You may also like
App onlyOne-pan pesto, chicken & spinach lasagne. This is a premium piece of content available to registered users.
A star rating of 4.7 out of 5.154 ratings
Spaghetti & meatballs
A star rating of 4.8 out of 5.278 ratings
Red pesto minestrone soup
A star rating of 5 out of 5.10 ratings
App onlyFridge-raid one-pan pesto pasta. This is a premium piece of content available to registered users.
A star rating of 4.8 out of 5.24 ratings
App onlyCrispy gnocchi with cavolo nero pesto, asparagus & peas. This is a premium piece of content available to registered users.
A star rating of 4.9 out of 5.12 ratings
Pesto spinach penne
A star rating of 4 out of 5.17 ratings
Pistachio pesto salmon & vegetable traybake
A star rating of 5 out of 5.4 ratings
Easy pesto, cheese & pea tart
A star rating of 5 out of 5.5 ratings