Go-To Triple Herb Pesto

This easy pesto recipe is the best! Simple ingredients, quick and easy process, BIG flavor, and so versatile. Instead mediocre store-bought products, I turn to this homemade pesto recipe for all my pesto needs—pasta, pizza, salmon, vinaigrettes, chicken, the list goes on. It’s a great go-to recipe, so be sure to bookmark it!

If you’re wondering what to do with all your mid-summer basil, you’ve just harvested the last of your basil plant, or you lucked out and found some gorgeous basil at the market, this basil pesto recipe is the ideal way to use up an abundance of basil!

If you love pesto like I do, you know that fresh is always best. And this recipe is a great go-to because it classic in flavor and incredibly versatile.

What Goes into Pesto?

There are a 5 basic ingredients that are needed for traditional pesto:

• good extra-virgin olive oil
• pine nuts (I like to use toasted pine nuts)
• fresh basil leaves
• Parmesan cheese
• garlic

This recipe adds a few herbs that aren’t classic—parsley and chives. The added herbs offer a nice balance of flavors and helps make this pesto more versatile and adaptable.

I prefer chives in this recipe—but in a pinch scallions will also work nicely.

How to Make an Easy Pesto

Traditionally, pesto is made using a mortar and pestle. And if you’ve never made it that way , I encourage you to do so at least one using high quality ingredients. The difference in process and quality can definitely be tasted.

But frankly, when it comes to getting dinner on the table on Tuesday night, you won’t find me pulling out the mortar and pestle. You will instead find me whirring up my food process because it’s an efficient way of doing things.

Using the food processor to make homemade best is SO convenient. The basics of it—add everything but the olive oil to the processor and pulse until everything is finely chopped but not minced. With the processor running, stream in the oil until emulsified.

As with anything and everything, give it a good taste and season with salt and pepper to taste. IT’S THAT EASY!

How to Store Pesto

Homemade pesto will keep for 1–2 weeks stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To avoid oxidation, I will often press a piece of plastic wrap over the surface of the pesto before securing the lid.

How to Freeze Pesto

I have found there to be two great ways to freeze homemade pesto. One way is to use ice cube trays—spoon the pesto into the wells of ice cube trays and freeze until solid. Once solid, pop the pesto cubes out and transfer to a zipper-lock freezer bag and store in the freezer.

Another way you can freeze homemade pesto is to use a muffin tin! Line each well of a muffin tin with paper liners, then scoop pesto into muffin liners. Freezer the pesto until solid then transfer to a zipper-lock freezer bag and store in the freezer.

If you would prefer to freeze pesto in larger batches, you can freeze the pesto in glass jars.

Pesto will keep for 9–12 months in the freezer.

12 Ways to Use Pesto

This is the best pesto recipe to have up your sleeve for when a recipe simply calls for “pesto,” or when dinner needed to be on the table 10 minutes ago. This pesto is versatile and adaptable, perfect for throwing into existing recipes or for tossing with pasta and chicken for dinner in a flash.

More Pesto Recipes You May Like…

• Trapanese Pesto (aka Tomato Pesto)
• Radish Green Pesto
• Arugula & Pistachio Pesto
• Carrot Top Pesto
• Miso Pesto
• Walnut Pesto

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Don’t forget, if you make this Homemade Pesto Recipe, leave a comment and rating below!

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