Mortar and Pestle Pesto
This basil pesto recipe is bright, herby, and full of flavor! Pesto is a versatile sauce for pasta, meats, veggies, spreads, sandwiches, and pizza. Ready in 20 minutes. Recipe includes directions for mortar and pestle pesto plus food processor directions!
The best homemade pesto genovese
This is a slight twist on a classic pesto recipe, with a little bit of fresh lemon juice and white balsamic vinegar. The result is a flavorful and balanced pesto that is so good with pasta, proteins, and more.
For more pasta sauces, try Creamy Bolognese, Classic Marinara Sauce, Cajun Alfredo Sauce, or Spicy Vodka Sauce.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- So flavorful! Pesto is a sauce that really packs a flavor punch. The bright and savory flavors of basil, parmesan, and garlic can make any dish pop.
- Homemade is better. Making your own pesto from scratch is a simple process and always tastes better than store bought.
- Perfect for preserving your basil harvest. Making a big batch of pesto is a great way to preserve your fresh basil to use the rest of the year. This recipe includes freezing directions.
What is pesto?
Pesto is a versatile herbaceous green sauce that can be used in pasta, pizza, on vegetables, meats, as a spread, and more.
It originated in Genoa, Italy, and is traditionally made with a mortar and pestle. The authentic recipe for classic basil pesto, also called pesto genovese or pesto alla genovese, calls for fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, a hard cheese (like Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano), olive oil, and salt.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Garlic – Use fresh garlic cloves for the best flavor.
- Toasted pine nuts – I find toasted pine nuts at Trader Joe’s. Substitute for pecans, walnuts, pepitas, sunflower seeds, or almonds.
- Fresh basil leaves – Remove any tougher stems. Store basil at room temperature, as it will turn black in the refrigerator. Do not substitute for dried basil.
- Parmesan – I recommend using authentic parmigiano reggiano cheese for the best taste. Make sure to grate it yourself with a microplane. The texture should be like fluffy snow. Substitute for pecorino romano.
- Extra virgin olive oil – Use a high quality good tasting olive oil since you will taste it in this recipe.
- Fresh lemon juice – Not traditionally used in pesto, but I like the acidity and extra flavor it adds. It also helps the basil from darkening in storage.
- White balsamic vinegar – Another ingredient not used in a traditional pesto recipe, but it adds just a touch of sweetness to balance out any bitter flavor from the basil. You can omit if you want to. Do not substitute for dark balsamic vinegar.
See the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Equipment needed
For mortar and pestle pesto – you need a mortar and pestle!
I like using a large mortar with at least a 2 cup capacity (about 475 mL). But if you don’t have a mortar and pestle, don’t worry, you can still make this basil pesto with a food processor, or even a knife and cutting board!
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OPTIONAL: BLANCH
This step is optional, but If you are storing or freezing this pesto for later, it’s a good idea to blanch the basil leaves so they keep their bright color.
Add the basil leaves to a pot of boiling water and submerge for about 10 seconds, then transfer basil to an ice bath. You can blanch the basil for either method.
STEP ONE: MASH
Mash the garlic cloves into a paste with a pinch of kosher salt, then add pine nuts and mash together.
STEP TWO: BASIL
Add in basil and continue to grind the ingredients until you reach a thick green paste.
STEP THREE: STIR
Stir in parmesan, olive oil, lemon juice, and white balsamic vinegar with a spoon and mix to combine.
STEP FOUR: FINISH
Add salt to taste and enjoy!
How to make pesto with a food processor
Although making pesto with a mortar and pestle is the traditional method, you can still make a great pesto with a food processor!
After testing this recipe multiple times, I realized that the order in which you add the ingredients really does matter! Also I prefer to add the olive oil and parmesan then stir by hand. This gives the pesto an overall better texture. Drizzling the olive oil in the food processor while its running will cause it to emulsify and give it a creamy (in a bad way) texture.
STEP ONE: GARLIC
Add garlic to the food processor and pulse a few times until garlic is finely chopped.
STEP TWO: PINE NUTS
Next add pine nuts. Pulse until desired consistency.
STEP THREE: BASIL
Add basil, lemon juice, and white balsamic vinegar. Continue to pulse until basil is chopped to desired consistency.
STEP FOUR: STIR
Remove the blade and stir in olive oil and parmesan with a spoon and add salt to taste.
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Expert Tips
I’ve tested this recipe many times and came up with some tips so you can make the best pesto ever!
- Use a microplane. A microplane is a grater with very fine holes, yielding fluffy and finely grated hard cheese. This is the best way to grate the parmesan cheese so it incorporates with the pesto sauce better.
- Don’t pour olive oil into the food processor. If you add olive oil while running the food processor, it will emulsify and become thick and creamy, changing the texture of the pesto. It is better to stir it in after.
- The order you add ingredients matters! Whether you are making mortar and pestle pesto or using the food processor, the order you add the ingredients matters. You want to start with garlic, then pine nuts. Add the basil next. Finally, stir in olive oil and parmesan cheese.
- Don’t heat pesto. Pesto should be served cold or room temperature. When making pesto pasta, stir pesto into cooked pasta with a splash of pasta water off heat, and stir until combined. The residual heat from the pasta will warm the pesto. Directly heating the pesto will change its flavor.
Make ahead directions
If you plan to make pesto ahead of time, I recommend blanching the basil leaves first. This only takes a few extra minutes, and ensures your pesto stays a beautiful bright green.
One day in advance, prepare pesto per directions including the blanching step. Store pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Storage & Reheating
How to store leftovers: Store leftover pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. If basil was not blanched, the color will turn dark green.
How to freeze: Add pesto to ice cube trays with a thin layer of olive oil on top and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
Ways to use pesto
Now that you have your delicious homemade pesto, let’s use it!
In Italy, pesto alla genovese is traditionally eaten with trofie pasta, a short twisted pasta shape, but you can serve it with your favorite pasta.
- With pasta (especially trofie or fusilli) or gnocchi
- In pasta salad like in this Orzo Salad with Pesto
- In lasagna with béchamel
- On perfectly cooked chicken breasts
- In a roasted vegetable wrap
- With cold pasta salad
- On bruschetta with roasted tomatoes and burrata like in this appetizer
- In place of red sauce on pizza
- Use it in salad dressing
- Toss with roasted vegetables
- Serve with Italian meatballs
- Use it for topping grilled steaks
- Top scrambled or poached eggs for breakfast
Variations
Although pesto typically refers to the combination of basil, garlic, parmesan (or pecorino), and pine nuts crushed together with a mortar and pestle, you can make other varieties of pesto too!
Try these varieties to change up your pesto pasta.
- Change out the nuts. Swap the pine nuts for walnuts, pecans, or almonds.
- Change nuts for seeds. To make this nut free, use sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds (pepitas).
- Change up the greens. Add additional greens or swap out the basil for spinach, arugula,
- Red pesto. Make a pesto with sundried tomatoes or roasted red peppers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pine nuts can be expensive, so if you want to swap them out in your pesto, you can use walnuts, pecans, pepitas, almonds, or sunflower seeds instead.
Pesto can become bitter if the basil has flowered or gone to seed. In this case, add a splash of white balsamic vinegar or honey to balance the bitterness. If pesto is bitter because the olive oil has gone rancid, it is best to throw it out. Always taste your ingredients before using.
To prevent pesto from turning dark or browning, blanch the basil leaves before making. You can also add a layer of oil on top of the pesto for storage so it takes longer to oxidize.
More pasta sauce recipes
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Mortar and Pestle Pesto Recipe (with food processor directions!)
Equipment
- Knife
- Spider strainer, optional
Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic smashed and peeled
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- 4 cups fresh basil leaves lightly/loosely packed, about 3 ounces
- 1 ounce freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1-2 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
- salt to taste
Instructions
- BLANCH. Optional, see note. Add the basil leaves to a pot of boiling water and submerge for about 10 seconds. Transfer the basil to a bath of ice water with a spider strainer. Drain basil and squeeze out excess water. Rough chop blanched basil to make it easier to blend.
MORTAR AND PESTLE
- MASH GARLIC. In the mortar, mash the garlic cloves into a paste with a pinch of coarse salt. Rock the pestle in a circular motion around the mortar.4 cloves garlic
- MASH PINE NUTS. Next, add pine nuts and mash together with garlic forming a thick mash.¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- MASH BASIL. Add in basil (one handful at a time if not blanched). Continue to grind the ingredients until you achieve the desired consistency.4 cups fresh basil leaves
- STIR. Stir in parmesan, olive oil, lemon juice, and white balsamic vinegar with a spoon and mix to combine.1 ounce freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese, ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1-2 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
- FINISH. Add salt to taste.
FOOD PROCESSOR
- PULSE GARLIC. Add garlic to the food processor and pulse a few times until garlic is finely chopped.4 cloves garlic
- PULSE PINE NUTS. Next add pine nuts. Pulse until desired consistency.¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- PULSE BASIL. Add in basil leaves, lemon juice, and white balsamic vinegar. Continue to pulse until basil is chopped to desired consistency.4 cups fresh basil leaves, 1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1-2 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
- STIR. Remove the blade and stir in olive oil and parmesan with a spoon.½ cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 ounce freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
- FINISH. Add salt to taste.
Notes
- Makes about 1 1/4 cup
- Store fresh basil is in a jar of water at room temperature.
- White balsamic vinegar is optional but adds a touch of sweetness and acidity. Do not substitute for regular/dark balsamic vinegar.
- Blanching. If you are storing or freezing this pesto for later, it’s a good idea to blanch the basil leaves to keep their bright color. If you are eating it right away, you can skip it.
- Use a microplane to grate the parmesan cheese. Texture should be like fluffy snow.
- Don’t pour olive oil into the food processor. If you add olive oil while running the food processor, it will emulsify and become thick and creamy, changing the texture of the pesto. It is better to stir it in after.
- The order you add ingredients matters! The order you add and mash/pulse the ingredients will have an effect on the final texture.
- Texture. You can make the pesto as smooth or chunky as you like by grinding or pulsing more or less. If you want a thinner consistency pesto, stir in more olive oil.
- Don’t heat it! When using pesto for pasta, boil pasta and reserve some pasta water. Add cooked al dente pasta to a pan with a splash of pasta water off of heat, and stir in pesto. Toss together until combined and serve immediately.
- Other ways to make pesto. You can also make this pesto with an immersion blender (follow the same steps as food processor directions), or with a knife. To make pesto with a knife (or mezzaluna), finely chop all ingredients, then stir in parmesan and liquids.
- How to store leftovers: Store leftover pesto in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. If basil was not blanched, the color will turn dark green.
- How to freeze: Add pesto to ice cube trays with a thin layer of olive oil on top and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight.
