Welcome to The Best Pesto Recipe with Pine Nuts! My mom's homemade pesto has been legendary for decades! You'll love this fragrant, delicious sauce featuring fresh basil, garlic, olive oil, Pecorino Romano and Parmesan cheeses.
My family's been eating pesto since 1982...long before it was fashionable in America. We first tried it in the Italian province of Liguria, near Genoa, where pesto was invented.
We even tried a blonde walnut pesto, which was delicious too.
And, while it seems basil pesto is everywhere nowadays, I've never tasted any as good as Mom's. It's simply The Best Pesto with Pine Nuts!
She adapted it from a recipe in an Italian magazine, deciding to use a combination of Pecorino Romano and Parmesan cheeses for the best flavor.
Friends, this is one of my favorite recipes on Cooking with Mamma C. If you have a nice quantity of basil leaves, you must try this!
Recipe ingredients
Basil: Fragrant Genovese basil with large, corrugated leaves brings the best flavor to pesto. Genovese basil is a type of sweet basil and is often sold in flat plastic containers in the grocery store.
The plants sold in stores usually feature sweet basil with smaller leaves that are 2-3 inches long. They can be used in pesto as well.
Pecorino & Parmesan: Mom's recipe calls for a 50-50 combination of imported Pecorino (made from sheep's milk) and Parmesan, achieving the perfect balance of salty and sharp flavor.
Make sure to use freshly grated cheese for the best taste and texture.
Pine Nuts: Known as "pignoli" in Italian, pine nuts are actually seeds from pine cones. They have a buttery, nutty taste.
They're quite expensive, so I recommend buying them at Costco and storing them in the freezer to keep them fresh. You can use them to make Pignoli Cookies too!
Feel free to omit the pine nuts from your pesto if needed. Or, use walnuts as a substitute.
How to make it
See the card at the end of this post for the full recipe, but here's an overview.
- Let the basil leaves dry completely after rinsing them and patting them with paper towels.
- Pulse the garlic and pine nuts in a food processor. Add the basil leaves and pulse while drizzling in olive oil.
- Add the Pecorino and Parmesan and process until a creamy paste forms.
Recipe tips
- If you don't have a scale to weigh your basil, you can fill up a 2-cup liquid measuring cup twice with packed basil until it's heaping.
- To achieve the right pesto texture, the basil leaves must not have any moisture on them. After rinsing the basil, pat them with paper towels and air-dry them completely.
How to use pesto
There are many ways to use fresh pesto sauce. But can you guess my favorite?
Stirred into PASTA!! Just boil and drain the pasta, stir in a tablespoon or so of butter, then mix in spoonfuls of pesto until you have enough to generously coat it. You can sprinkle some Parmesan or Pecorino on top if you'd like.
It's delicious with Pasta e Piselli too!
But you also have to try using this Italian pesto for pizza, Pesto Salmon, Pesto Chicken or Pesto Deviled Eggs. It brings the X-factor to everything!
How to store it
Store the Pecorino pesto in a sealed container in the refrigerator with a thin layer of olive oil on top for up to two weeks. (The oil prevents browning.)
Stir the pesto before using it.
How to freeze pesto
You can freeze basil pesto for up to six months. You can use a half-quart container for a larger amount, with a thin, protective layer of olive oil on top.
For smaller amounts, you can freeze the pesto in a covered ice cube tray. When it's frozen, separate the pesto into cubes and place them in a freezer bag.
And, for times when you don't have enough basil, try making this Easy Spinach-Walnut Pesto.
More pasta sauces
Enjoy!
If you try The Best Pesto Recipe with Pine Nuts, please leave a comment and a rating!
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The Best Pesto Recipe with Pine Nuts
Video
Ingredients
- 5 ounces fresh Genovese basil leaves (stems removed; see notes)
- one large garlic clove (or two small)
- 2 Tablespoons pine nuts (can omit if needed)
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup freshly grated imported Pecorino Romano cheese
Instructions
- Rinse the basil and pluck off the stems. Pat the basil leaves with a paper towel to absorb excess water and place the leaves on paper towels to air-dry. (See notes.)
- Grate the cheeses, if needed (I use my blender.) Combine the Parmesan and Romano in a small bowl.
- Peel the garlic and place it in a food processor. Add the pine nuts. Pulse until the garlic is cut into small pieces.
- Add the basil leaves to the food processor and pulse until they're broken up, while drizzling in the olive oil.
- Add the combined cheeses to the food processor and process until a creamy paste is formed. There is no need for salt, since the cheese is salty enough.
- Use the pesto as a sauce stirred into pasta or on pizza, chicken or fish. Store the pesto in a sealed container in the refrigerator, with a thin layer of olive oil on top, for up to two weeks. You also can freeze it for up to six months.
Notes
- Genovese basil with corrugated leaves provides the best flavor, but you can use regular sweet basil instead.
- The basil must be air-dried to ensure the leaves have no moisture, in order to achieve the right pesto texture.
- If you don't have a scale to weigh the basil, you can fill up a 2-cup liquid measuring cup twice with packed basil until it's heaping.
- Imported Pecorino Romano (made from sheep's milk) is key for flavor.
Nutrition
(Recipe Source: From my Mom, who adapted it from a recipe in an Italian magazine after we tried pesto in Rapallo, Italy in 1982. OriginalIy published on September 7, 2016 and updated with new photos on July 19, 2018. Now updated with an additional photo and more information.)
Doris says
Hey Angela!
I grew my own basil this year .... and I am making your recipe but one question please? Don't you toast the pine nuts first? Do you add any grated lemon peel or is this not customary? Thanks for a reply.
Andrea - Mamma C says
Hi Doris - The recipe as written is exactly how my mom made it. We never toast the pine nuts, but you can do that if you prefer. The zest might be a nice touch but is not traditional. Enjoy!
Michael says
I Had to comment because this was the best pesto Ive ever had and Ive tried a few store brands that never really made me happy. but this one was very tasty.
Mamma C says
Hi Michael - I love hearing that and totally agree! Thanks for leaving a review.
Peter SPRY says
Happy with resulting pesto - I had to go with pecorino only and found it a really easy recipe and method. Thanks to you and your Mum
Mamma C says
Hi Peter - I'm glad you enjoyed it! You're welcome.
Kelly says
Have you made it with pecorino only?
Mamma C says
Hi Kelly - No, I haven't. The pesto would probably be saltier and have a stronger flavor. I don't think it would be bad, in a pinch.
Jill says
I just made it with Pecorino only as I have a cow dairy sensitivity. It was still delicious! I portioned it out into an ice cube tray to freeze for future use. Thank you for this recipe!
Mamma C says
Hi Jill - Good to know it worked great with just Pecorino. I'm so glad you enjoyed the pesto, and freezing it in ice cube trays is a great idea!
Jace S says
I don’t normally do reviews on stuff from here because I always add my own twist, I made this for a chicken pesto pizza and i added a pinch of salt and this stuff is absolutely amazing. Best pesto I’ve ever had by a long shot!
Mamma C says
Hi Jace - I totally agree! I'm so glad you love my Mom's pesto as much as we do.
Soniya says
Nothing beats home made pesto!! This looks so vibrant and delicious 👌 can't wait to try it 🙂
Mamma C says
Thanks, Soniya! I hope you love it.
Heidy L. McCallum says
Good morning, love this pesto, so glad to see it's not another cooked pesto that ruins the wonderful flavors. Thanks for sharing your wonderful memories of how your family member/ mom made it too. I definitely enjoyed reading your recipe post today.
Mamma C says
I'm glad you enjoyed my post, Heidy! The pesto is baked on the fish, but in mounds without being spread until after it's cooked. Lots of flavor!
Gabi says
We love already my basic basil pesto just with Parmesan cheese and basil with flat leaves. Adding pecorino Romano and Genovese basil is so much more authentic and I can imagine it tastes like heaven.
Mamma C says
It really takes it over the top! Thanks, Gabi!
Jaclyn Anne says
I love everything pesto but hadn't tried making my own before. Thank you for sharing this great pesto recipe -- I can't wait to use in on everything from chicken to crostinis!
Mamma C says
Yes, you must! I've recently started using it on salmon too! Thanks, Jaclyn Anne.