- Sauce
- Italian
- Make-ahead
- Freezer-friendly
- Stovetop
- Food processor
- Kid-friendly
Good for, as AI judged the whole recipe.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup
pine nuts
- 2 cloves
garlic, peeled
- 1/2 tsp
coarse salt
- 4 cups
fresh basil leaves, lightly packed (about 4 oz / 2 large bunches), stems removed, leaves washed and dried well
- 1/2 cup
extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for storing
- 1/2 cup
Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
- 1/4 cup
Pecorino Romano, finely grated
salt, to taste
- Gluten-free
- Vegetarian
Contains milk (Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino Romano) and tree nuts (pine nuts).
Whether it’s vegetarian depends on the Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino Romano: check the label.
Not checked: coarse salt.
Diets guessed by AI from the ingredients, not checked.
Steps
- Step 1
Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, shaking the pan often, until they smell nutty and are lightly golden in spots, 3 to 5 minutes. Tip them onto a plate right away and let them cool completely — they burn fast, so don't walk away.
5 min
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- Step 2
Put the garlic, coarse salt and cooled pine nuts in a food processor. Pulse 8 to 10 times, until the nuts are broken down into a coarse, sandy paste.
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 tsp coarse salt
- Step 3
Add the basil leaves and pulse in short bursts, scraping down the sides once or twice, until the basil is finely chopped. Pulse rather than run the machine — long blending heats and darkens the basil.
- 4 cups fresh basil leaves, lightly packed (about 4 oz / 2 large bunches)
- Step 4
With the machine running, pour in the olive oil in a slow stream and blend just until you have a loose, grainy green sauce, about 15 seconds. (To do it by hand instead: pound the garlic and salt to a paste in a large mortar, add the basil a handful at a time and grind in a circular motion against the sides, then the pine nuts, then stir in the oil.)
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for storing
- Step 5
Scrape the pesto into a bowl and stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano and Pecorino Romano by hand with a spoon. Taste and add salt if it needs it; if it seems stiff, stir in another tablespoon or two of olive oil.
- 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano
- salt
- Step 6
Use right away, or pack into a jar, smooth the top and pour a thin layer of olive oil over it to keep the surface green. It keeps 4 to 5 days in the fridge, or freeze it in an ice cube tray for up to 3 months. To dress pasta, toss 1 lb of cooked pasta with the pesto plus a few tablespoons of the hot pasta cooking water — don't cook the pesto in a pan.
Where it’s from
Written by AI from an idea
Version 1, saved Oct 5, 2026