Become a Better Cook in 4 Pesto mayo! Homemade Pesto is an Italian classic! Today we’re sharing our go-to pesto recipe.
It’s the perfect blend of fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil and cheeses. Pesto is a sauce that originated in the city of Genoa, in northern Italy. You can still make it that way, but a food processor makes things much quicker and easier. Italian restaurant, it refers to a classic Pesto alla Genevese which is specifically pesto made with fresh basil. But lots of cooks are getting more creative these days, making pesto with other greens or other main ingredients.
See our Tuscan Kale pesto recipe here! Since there are only a few simple ingredients in this recipe, don’t skimp on quality. Buy the freshest basil and garlic you can, and choose quality extra virgin olive oil and aged cheeses. This recipe is best with freshly-picked basil right from the garden, and you simply can’t substitute dried or frozen. I’ve read that the smaller leaves are better to use and sweeter, but I honestly can’t taste much of a difference.
Fresh, peeled garlic is the only option. Please don’t use jarred, minced garlic. Pine nuts are traditional and give this pesto a mellow, nutty flavor. In a pinch, however, this pesto recipe is still very good made with walnuts. Use an extra virgin olive oil for the best depth of flavor. We like a blend of the two cheeses in this pesto recipe, but you can also use all Parmesan if you prefer. Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper are preferred over the finer table salt and pre-ground black pepper.