Basil Pesto Sauce is an easy basil pesto recipe that’s made with only 6 ingredients.  It’s so fresh and delicious that you’ll never buy it again!

close up of basil pesto sauce in jar

I believe in meal prepping, but I don’t do it the same way most people do.  I like to plan out my meals for the week and shop for the ingredients that I need, and prep the ingredients and/or prepare components of the recipes.

For example, I love chopping my veggies up to throw into salads and recipes, and make sauces in advance so that I can put dinner together much more quickly.  

This basil pesto sauce recipe is one of my favorite things to prep.  Having a batch in the fridge or freezer keeps me at ease because I know I can make a quick meal with it no matter what I have on hand!

basil pesto sauce in a jar with a spoon

This homemade basil pesto sauce is full of bright, fresh flavor.  The color says is all, doesn’t it?

Most store bought pesto sauces lack flavor because they contain too much oil.  I prefer to use a minimal amount of oil to let the fresh flavor of the basil shine through.

My secret ingredient to heighten the flavor of this pesto recipe is fresh lemon juice.  Just a couple of tablespoons is all you need to taste the difference!

Pesto sauce ingredients

This basil pesto sauce includes the following ingredients:

  • fresh basil
  • garlic 
  • lemon juice
  • parmesan cheese
  • pine nuts
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt

See my post How to Make Pesto Sauce for pesto sauce variations!

How to make this recipe

  • Place the basil, garlic, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, pine nuts and salt to taste in the bowl of a food processor.  
  • I use my handy 3 1/2 cup food processor for this recipe — it’s just the right size for a small batch of pesto!
  • Process until coarsely chopped, then scrape down the sides of the bowl with a scraper.
  • With the processor running, add the olive oil through the feed tube and continue to process until the sauce has reached the desired consistency. 
  • Add more oil to suit your taste, and adjust the salt as needed.
pesto sauce in food processor - before and after

FAQs

How long does homemade pesto last?

Homemade pesto sauce will keep in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
I love making extra pesto sauce for the freezer as it’s freezer friendly.  Freeze pesto sauce in an air tight container in the refrigerator for 3-6 months.

What’s in basil pesto?

Classic basil pesto sauce includes fresh basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, pine nuts and olive oil. This recipe also includes a bit of fresh lemon juice to brighten the flavors even more.

What do you use basil pesto for?

Pesto sauce is a sauce used in pasta, on pizza and as a spread for sandwiches. It’s also great drizzled over grilled vegetables or caprese salad, and is a delicious condiment for vegetable soup, hamburgers and grain bowls.

Recipe notes

  • While I personally don’t blanch my basil or greens for pesto sauce, you can certainly opt to do that if you’d like your sauce to be a brighter shade of green. 
  • Use your pesto sauce for pizza and pasta, as a spread for sandwiches and burgers, in quinoa or farro salads, or as a condiment for roasted veggies!
basil pesto sauce with gray linen, spoon and lemon

More pesto recipes:

Did you try this recipe?  If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram

close up of basil pesto sauce in jar

Basil Pesto Sauce

Servings: 1 cup
Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 10 mins
Basil Pesto Sauce is an easy basil pesto recipe that's made with only 6 ingredients.  It's so fresh and delicious that you'll never buy it again!
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Ingredients

  • 4 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic peeled and halved
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Equipment

Instructions 

  • Add basil, garlic, nuts, lemon juice, parmesan cheese and salt to a food processor and pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber scraper.
  • With the processor running, add the olive oil through the feed tube and process until the sauce reaches the desired consistency. Add more oil and adjust the salt to suit your taste.
  • Add to your recipes and enjoy!

Notes

  • Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
  • See my post How to Make Pesto Sauce for pesto sauce variations.
  • While I personally don’t blanch my basil or greens for pesto sauce, you can certainly opt to do that if you’d like your sauce to be a brighter shade of green.  Read this article for tips.
  • Use your pesto sauce for pizza and pasta, as a spread for sandwiches and burgers, in quinoa or farro salads, or as a condiment for roasted veggies!  

Nutrition

Serving: 2tablespoons, Calories: 123kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 3mg, Sodium: 123mg, Fiber: 1g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Condiments/Dressing
Cuisine: Italian
Author: Marcie
Keyword: basil pesto sauce, basil pesto sauce recipe
All recipes and images © Flavor the Moments.
Did you try this recipe?Be sure to tag @flavorthemoments with the hashtag #flavorthemoments on Instagram so I can see what you made!

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