If there was ever a super simple recipe that seemed to cause so much angst, it has got to be Pesto! This is a classic recipe for Pesto, Pesto alla Genovese, the OG of Pesto.

Pesto to Use or Freeze; I like to keep my pesto thick and thin it if necessary when ready to use..

Now the reason I say “OG” Pesto is because these days, many of us (including myself) make similar concoctions with all kinds of ingredients that we refer to as Pesto. I am thinking that most Italians consider some of this an abomination, lol! But more about that, below. First, let’s get into this classic Italian sauce.

About Pesto to Use or Freeze:

Pesto alla Genovese is said to have originated in the city of Genoa in Northern Italy sometime around the 16th century. Pesto is D.O.P. protected, meaning that in Europe, only pesto made with the classic ingredients in the classic way can even be called Pesto.

Back in the day, Pesto was made with a marble mortar and pestle, and this tradition is taken seriously by Italians. How seriously? There are contests, including this Pesto World Championship held annually. These days, you’re most likely to see Pesto made in a blender or food processor, at least here in the States.

What hasn’t changed in my recipe are the traditional ingredients. There are normally just six of them. Garlic, Salt, Basil, Pine Nuts, Cheese (traditionally Pecorino or Parmesan or a combo), and Olive Oil. Blend it all and tada, Pesto. Nothin’ more need be said?

Making Pesto to Use or Freeze:

Seriously, even staying within those strict traditional pesto guidelines, you can still tinker a bit and not be too far off. You have a bit of latitude to make Pesto just how you wish. The recipe below is how I like mine. Feel free to taste and adjust until you have your perfect recipe. A few things to think about:

• Maybe you want your pesto more or less garlicky, more or less salty, and *slaps forehead* maybe you want to go off the charts wild and add just a teensy bit of red pepper flakes or another ingredient?
• Pesto can be made as fine or as chunky as you’d like, or even as thin or as thick as you wish. Hint: if you are serving as a pasta sauce you may wish to err on the thicker side; combined with a little of the pasta water, Pesto will turn into a luxurious sauce.
• Of course, you can play with the olive oil, maybe using a favorite. You can choose something mellow and buttery or grassier and sharper or anything in between. Most peeps recommend an extra virgin, and cold-pressed is always the best. It may seem this doesn’t need to be mentioned but do choose an olive oil that you like the taste of.
• Still staying traditional, feel free to use either Pecorino or Parmesan or a combo of both cheeses in your Pesto. If you’ve never used Pecorino, it might surprise you. Interested in the difference between the two cheeses? Check out this article by the Food Network.
• If you wish, a touch of lemon to preserve the gorgeous color can be added. This is primarily to help it retain its color if stored in the fridge, but also adds an intriguing taste. See below for more about preserving your pesto.

How to Use Pesto:

There are so many ways to use your Pesto! I love it with pasta, as the Italians use it. I also have been known to spread it into a fancy grilled cheese, as a sandwich spread (especially done up with Italian cold cuts), and stirred into tomato soup. I’ve used it on my site in my Pesto Pasta Salad With Grilled Vegetables. I also love mixing Pesto to make a salad dressing, and you can see the recipe for it on Easy Basil Pesto Salad Dressing.

I could just about go on forever, but maybe you’d like to, so if you’re not Italian and might take offense at this, take a peek at over 50 Things to Make with Pesto by the Food Network. What can I say? That should keep most people, including me, busy for a while!

Storing Pesto in the Fridge:

Pesto has a nasty habit of turning brown upon storing both in the fridge and the freezer, and there are several ways to prevent that. All three of these methods work pretty well for storing Pesto in the fridge for a few days.

• Blanch the basil for about 30 seconds in boiling water and quickly cool in ice water. This works well to prevent browning and it preserves the brightness of the pesto. To try this method, bring a good-sized pot of water to a boil, fill a metal strainer with your basil, and dunk the strainer, basil and all, in the water for 30 seconds. Immediately remove the strainer with the basil and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process. Shake off the excess water and roll the basil gently in paper towels before using.
• Another way to preserve the color of the pesto is to add a teaspoon of lemon juice per cup of packed basil leaves to the Pesto recipe. In my recipe, which calls for two cups of basil leaves, you’ll need two teaspoons of lemon juice. The lemon juice will slightly flavor the pesto, but in my opinion, in a good way.
• A final method is to add the pesto to a jar, smooth the top of the pesto, and cover the Pesto with a layer of olive oil. That works by keeping the pesto absolutely airtight, but does seem to have mixed results. I personally don’t use this method.

Freezing Pesto:

If I freeze Pesto, I always blanch the basil first.

• The enzymes that cause browning aren’t affected by freezing, so the pesto will deteriorate over time if not blanched.
• The pesto will probably be fine for a few weeks if only lemon juice is used but I wouldn’t count on much longer.

To freeze pesto,(this is for pesto made with blanched basil because I personally won’t use any other method and you can see that method described above), just divide it into portions, add it to a Ziploc, and flatten the bag as you squeeze out as much air as possible. Pesto will keep like that for several months and still be at a great quality when you pull it out to use it.

There are various ways to thaw pesto. Sometimes thawing in the microwave is mentioned; I would never recommend doing that to the lovely pesto. Here’s what I do:

• If only a small amount is needed, simply open up the frozen Ziploc and remove the needed amount by breaking it off. Reclose the Ziploc and return it to the freezer and thaw the rest on the counter or in the fridge.
• If the amount is small and I can count on the two-hour safety rule, I toss it on the counter for an hour.
• The safest way, though, is to thaw in the fridge and this is true especially if your pesto will be at room temperature for more than two hours total, including making, thawing, and serving.

I hardly ever mess with turning products, including stock and pesto into ice cubes. In the freezer, they always meld together and take up a lot of room all ganged up in a Ziploc. Also, it often ruins the ice cube tray as the plastic trays can pick up both odors and colors of items, and that can carry over to any new products you use to them for.

Saving Money on Pesto to Use or Freeze:

A store-bought Pesto costs about $4.99 for a seven-ounce (about a cup) container, so if you were buying as much as this recipe makes, you’d be spending about 10 bucks.

• Herbs: Grow your herbs, in the garden or a pot…it’s so much better and a huge cost savings. Another reason to grow your own: the best pesto is said to be made with the smaller leaves picked when the plant is flowering.
• Nuts:There’s no doubt that pine nuts can be very pricy. Pesto alla Genovese uses European pine nuts. I use whatever I can get my hands on for a reasonable price and that includes Pinon nuts. Check online for your nuts. Nut Houses sometimes have amazing prices. Failing that it doesn’t hurt to keep your eye out at the various stores you shop at; you may find a big variance in the pricing.
• Olive Oil: The best virgin olive oils are cold pressed and they can be found coming from Italy or California. Check out your bargain stores like Aldi or Lidle as well as the buyer’s clubs like Sam’s or Costco for great pricing. The most important thing is to pick up an olive oil you like the taste of.
• Cheese: You’ll find great prices on Parmesan and sometimes Pecorino at your buyer’s club. If at all possible, but your cheese in a wedge rather than already grated. First of all, it will taste fresher and the texture will be completely different and it will last longer in the fridge freshly grated. Secondly, the wedge, compared ounce for ounce (or pound by pound) to grated will almost always be a big cost savings.

This pesto, using my basil, grocery store olive oil, pine nuts, and Parmesan ran $1.72 when this article was updated in 2024. I’m a good shopper and that pricing includes shopping well.

Alternatives to the Classic Pesto:

I mentioned before these delicious but different “abominations,” pesto made with non-pesto ingredients. Two of my favorites are on this site. One is Radish Top Pesto and the other is Fresh Pea Pesto. Don’t turn up your nose at the Pea Pesto – I don’t care for peas but I love them in this pesto and to add to the intrigue I’ll mention I originally stole the idea from Chef Jamie Oliver.