This easy homemade pesto recipe is perfect for a quick and delicious weeknight meal. In only 2 steps and in less time than it would take you to heat up store bought pesto, you will have made the BEST homemade pesto! Not to mention, that even your pickiest eaters will LOVE this pesto recipe. Don’t forget to also check out my simple tip to preserving homemade pesto so that you can enjoy this garden fresh goodness ALL YEAR LONG!
Can I use Parsley instead of Basil in Pesto
ABSOLUTELY! In fact, you will love homemade pesto with parsley more than fresh basil pesto! My inspiration for this recipe, came from my need to do something with all of the fresh parsley growing in the garden. I had previously always made pesto with just basil. I discovered that adding parsley actually made my recipe better! It adds a nice subtle flavor that pairs perfectly with the basil, garlic and Parmesan cheese.
Once you see how easy this homemade pesto recipe is, I promise you that you will never buy store bought pesto again!
Step by Step Recipe for Homemade Pesto
ONLY 2 Quick and Easy Steps for the BEST Recipe for Homemade Pesto
STEP 1: Prepare your Homemade Pesto Ingredients
For this easy homemade pesto recipe you will need fresh basil and parsley. You cannot use dried herbs.
Ingredients:
- 4-5 sprigs of fresh Parsley
- 4 springs of fresh Basil
- 4-5 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 cup EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
STEP 2: Blend Together
That’s it! You just made your 1st homemade pesto recipe, in less time than it would have taken you to open a jar and heat up store bought pesto! Seriously, have you ever made something this easy and delicious, in less than 5 minutes?!
What can Pesto be used for
This easy homemade pesto recipe is so versatile. I love to serve it over pasta for a simple and quick meal. My children love when I saute’ shrimp in the pesto mix and then add that over a pasta dish. I have most recently added it on top of veggie burgers and this has become my new favorite way to spice up a meal!
Above: Veggie burger topped with avocado, tomato slices and fresh pesto
Below: Pesto added to bow tie pasta
Homemade Pesto Pizza
You can also add fresh pesto on top of your homemade pizza’s. Simply prepare your dough. Drizzle EVOO on top of your pizza dough and add small spoonfuls of this homemade pesto. Top with shredded mozzarella or any other toppings of your choice. Bake and enjoy! My father, recently invested in a wood burning pizza oven and let me tell you, it makes the best pizza! If you have the chance to try out a wood burned pizza, I highly recommend it!
The BEST Recipe for Homemade Pesto
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 4-5 sprigs Fresh Parsley
- 4 sprigs Fresh Basil
- 4-5 cloves Garlic
- 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese finely grated
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients: Wash and prep
- Blend all of the ingredients together. If the pesto is too dry, add more EVOO slowly into the blender until you have a smooth and creamy consistency. Serve over pasta, chicken, steak, fish, pizza or use for a dipping sauce for bread.
How to Preserve Homemade Pesto
One of the absolute best parts of this recipe, is being able to freeze and preserve your homemade pesto, to enjoy all year long! To preserve your homemade pesto, simply double the recipe and you will then have extra homemade pesto to freeze. The simplest way to freeze pesto is to add it into ice-cube trays. Then wrap the pesto filled ice-cube trays with saran wrap and then aluminum foil on top. The next time you want to enjoy homemade pesto, you can simply defrost 2-3 cubes and keep the rest frozen. I love the Ice cube tray with lid from Amazon, because they have lids which make freezing so simple!
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