Classico Pesto Recipe | Traditional Basil Pasta Sauce
Bright and fresh pesto bursting with basil and olive oil flavor. My Classico Pesto recipe makes 2 batches, so use one for now and freeze one for another night.
This rainy summer has made the basil in our garden grow like crazy! We have been eating it in salads, on sandwiches, in pasta, and our kids even like to just pick it and it straight. But my favorite use is of course pesto. I remember the first time I had pesto, we were on vacation with my family and my aunt made fresh pesto tossed with pasta. At the time I was not a big pasta lover (weird, I know!) and when I saw GREEN PASTA I felt so upset that I was going to be expected to eat it. I braced myself, took a bite…and…I could not believe how much I LOVED IT! I ate my whole plate and quickly asked for more.
Since that day pesto has easily been my favorite pasta sauce. I really love it! There are of course store-bought options now that are pretty good, but nothing compares to the homemade version. If you have basil it is so easy to make, and it never fails to impress. My kids love pesto, and they love helping to make it too!
Classico Pesto Ingredients
- Fresh Basil
- Good Quality Olive Oil – It makes a difference in this recipe
- Fresh Garlic
- Pine Nuts
- Fresh Parsley (this helps to keep the green color and it adds extra freshness)
- Good Quality Parmesan Cheese – Don’t skimp here flavor matters
Why does this recipe Toast the Garlic with the pine nuts?
Cooking the garlic a little mellows the flavor and reduces the sharpness that raw garlic can have.
Why does this recipe crush the basil first?
This helps to intensify the flavor of the herbs, try it and see if you can taste the difference!
How to Freeze Basil Pesto Sauce
This recipe makes 2 batches of pesto, enough for 2 pounds of pasta. I love making recipes where I can make a little extra, freeze it, and be ahead on another busy weeknight where I just don’t have enough time to cook fully from scratch.
Freezing Pesto – Spoon the pesto into a labeled and dated freezer bag, be careful not to get any in the zipper part of the bag or it won’t close properly. Gently squeeze out any air and close the bag. Lay it flat to freeze and then once it’s frozen you can store it upright in the smaller spaces in your freezer. When you’re ready to serve, pull it out and let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes while you prep your pasta. Toss it with the hot pasta and dinner is done in the time it took you to cook some pasta.
Basil Pesto FAQs
How long does pesto last in the fridge?
About 4-5 days in an airtight container. If you aren’t going to eat it in that time, freeze it.
Is pesto vegetarian?
Yup, but the cheese keeps it from being vegan.
Can you use basil stems in pesto?
Oh Yes! Don’t waste them, they add a ton of flavor and because it’s pureed the texture doesn’t matter at all.
What meat goes with pesto pasta?
Chicken is so delicious with pesto pasta, we also love shrimp. For a vegetarian option try chickpeas, it’s delicious!
Is there a substitute for pine nuts in pesto sauce?
Yes, you can use another type of nut. Popular substitutes are walnuts, almonds, or pistachios.
How to Store Fresh Pesto
To store in the fridge – pour the pesto into an airtight container with a lid or a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
To store in the freezer – pour the pesto into a labeled and dated freezer bag, carefully squeeze out any air, and close the bag. Lay it flat to freeze and then once it’s frozen you can store it in the smaller spaces in your freezer.
Ideas and Uses for Basil Pesto Sauce
Pesto Cream Sauce Recipe – 1/2 cup pesto with 1/4 cup of heavy cream. Use this creamy pesto sauce recipe on pasta.
Baked Pesto Chicken Recipe – In a baking dish top 4 chicken breast cutlets with 2 tablespoons of pesto and a sprinkle of mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Bake @ 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes depending on. thesize of the chicken breast. When the chicken is done, the juices will run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F.
Pesto Potato Parmesan Pizza – Check out my recipe here: Pizza Con Patate with a Twist
Pesto Mayo Recipe – Mix 1/4 cup mayo with 1/4 cup pesto. A perfect spread for lunch meat sandwiches, grilled cheese, summer tomato toasts, or turkey burgers.
Pesto Chicken Salad Recipe – Use the pesto mayo recipe above and mix it with cooked chicken. You could toss in some halved grape tomatoes, avocado, or pinenuts. Make it your own! Serve pesto chicken salad on lettuce, with crackers, or on a sandwich.
Spicy Pesto Recipe – Add 1-2 tsp red pepper flakes, black pepper, or Aleppo pepper to your pesto. What type of pepper you use depends on the type of spice you like.
Recipe Card
Classico Pesto Recipe |1 for now 1 for the Freezer
Ingredients
- 4 medium cloves of garlic
- 1/2 cup pinenuts
- 4 cups fresh basil leaves
- 4 Tbps fresh parsley optional, it boosts the green color
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil plus a few extra Tbsp if needed
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp salt plus extra to taste
Instructions
- Toast pine nuts and unpeeled cloves of garlic in a heavy skillet, stirring frequently until they start to get a golden color, about 3-4 minutes.
- Place basil and parsley in a heavy duty ziplock bag and pound with a meat pounder or heavy spoon until the leaves are a little bruised. This intensifies the flavor of the herbs.
- Place all ingredients except the cheese in a food processor, process until smooth, periodically scraping down the sides to ensure all of the herbs get pureed. Add more olive oil if needed.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the cheese. Add more salt if needed.
- Divide the mixture in half, and pour half into a labeled quart-sized freezer bag. Carefully push as much air out as you can and zip closed. Lay flat to freeze.
- The other half can be tossed with a pound of cooked pasta, frozen, or kept in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 5 days.
I’ve wanted to try making pesto. Thank you for sharing!
We’ve got basil coming out our ears this summer, so this is a great recipe to keep in mind. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve been looking for a good pesto recipe and this looks fantastic! Thanks for sharing!