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Pesto alla Genovese (Traditional Basil Pesto Recipe from Genoa)

Published 25/08/2018, updated 18/03/2020 11 Comments

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Homemade Pesto recipe

Homemade Pesto Recipe

First published August 2011. Updated August 2018.

Pesto, as many people know it, is that dark green basil sauce from Italy, traditionally eaten with trofie (short and thin, twisted pasta shapes).

However, the word pesto, comes from the Italian word pestare, meaning “to pound, crush or grind”. So pesto really is any sauce where the ingredients have been pounded together.

But the pesto that we all know and love, is in fact basil pesto or Pesto Genovese, created in the port city of Genoa, in Liguria, in north west Italy. And it has the simplest of ingredients.

Why Make Pesto, when You can Buy?

Because it’s easy, it’s fresh, and it contains only the ingredients it needs. That means no potato, no egg and no additives, that you are likely to see on the ingredients’ list of shop bought pesto.

Homemade Pesto recipe

Doesn’t that look better than anything out of a jar?

Pesto Ingredients

  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Basil Leaves
  • Garlic
  • Pine Nuts
  • Parmesan & Pecorino Romano Cheeses (although some omit the cheese)
  • And the obligatory salt and pepper

Red Pesto Recipe

Red Chilli Pesto

Red Chilli Pesto

How do You Make Pesto?

You place all the above ingredients in a food chopper (olive oil is drizzled in later) and chop to either a fine or coarse state, however you prefer your pesto. Traditionally, pesto is made with a pestle and mortar, giving you a more rustic sauce.

Grating your cheese before adding to the chopper or your mortar, makes for easier chopping and pounding.

I am a huge fan of pesto sauce and make a variety of them, as well as a variety of recipes with pesto. Another favourite pesto sauce of mine is the Red Chilli Pesto, above.

And, you will find, below, examples of how I use Pesto Genovese here on LinsFood.

Pesto Recipes on LinsFood

Baked pesto meatballs
Baked Pesto Meatballs
Pesto Couscous Salad, a lunchbox recipe
Pesto Couscous Salad
Pesto panna cotta
Pesto Panna Cotta
Pesto Risotto with Salmon
Pesto Risotto
Pesto Halloumi
Pesto Halloumi

♥ Do you like this recipe? Please give it a 5-star rating below! And when you make it, share it on Instagram or any other social medium and tag me @azlinbloor. Grazie! … Lin ♥

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Homemade Pesto recipe

Pesto alla Genovese (Traditional Basil Pesto Recipe from Genoa)


★★★★★

5 from 41 reviews

  • Prep Time: 8 minutes
  • Total Time: 8 minutes
  • Yield: Serves 4-6 (about 250ml/1 cup) 1x
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Description

8-minute easy recipe for homemade pesto, or Pesto Genovese, the basil pesto that we love so much! Click here also, for ideas on how to use pesto.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 medium clove garlic
  • 60g (2oz) pine nuts
  • 3 handfuls fresh basil leaves
  • 150ml (3/5 cup) extra virgin olive oil
  • 3Tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 Tbsp freshly grated pecorino cheese
  • Pinch salt
  • Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. In a food chopper, start with chopping the garlic and pine nuts for a few seconds.
  2. Add the basil leaves and half the olive oil and continue chopping for about 20 seconds more.
  3. Add the cheeses, salt, pepper and a little more olive oil and chop again.
  4. Scrape down the sides and add more olive oil if you need it and chop one last time to incorporate everything together. You are going for a paste that is just pourable and thick.
  • Category: Sauces
  • Cuisine: Italian

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @azlinbloor on Instagram and hashtag it #linsfood

Comments

  1. Michelle Dalon says

    07/09/2018 at 7:32 pm

    Thank you, bookmarked this, definitely making it over the weekend.

    Reply
  2. Lili Manns says

    30/08/2018 at 9:07 am

    Hi Azlin, I can’t eat pine nuts. can I use cashew nuts instead.

    Reply
    • Azlin Bloor says

      30/08/2018 at 9:12 am

      Hi Lili. Sure, you can substitute the pine nuts with cashew nuts, if you can’t eat them. However, I would use only half the weight, 30g/1oz, in this recipe, as cashew nuts are very creamy.

      Reply
  3. Jackie Crowe says

    29/08/2018 at 12:16 pm

    Thank you for this. I did a search for the recipe and found yours. Really excited to try the pesto in those other recipes.

    Reply
    • Azlin Bloor says

      30/08/2018 at 9:11 am

      Great, thank you, Jackie. Let me know how it all goes.

      Reply
  4. Isaac GH says

    29/08/2018 at 9:55 am

    Thanks Chef, I didn’t realise how quick and easy it was to make pesto. Definitely making it

    Reply
    • Azlin Bloor says

      30/08/2018 at 9:10 am

      Awesome!

      Reply
  5. Dwayne Richardson says

    26/08/2018 at 11:42 am

    Omg, I looove pesto!
    gotta make this

    Reply
    • Azlin Bloor says

      30/08/2018 at 9:10 am

      Cool, let me know how it goes.

      Reply
  6. Mia Styles says

    26/08/2018 at 9:59 am

    Ah, you’ve demystified pesto sauce for me. I’m off to the supermarket this morning to get the cheese, basil leaves and pine nuts. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Azlin Bloor says

      30/08/2018 at 9:10 am

      Thank you, glad to help.

      Reply

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Hey folks, I’m Azlin Bloor; former chef, culinary instructor and mum of 4.
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