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Classic Genovese basil pesto is one of the great food inventions: green and garlic and salt and fat, blended fast enough to keep the herbs alive. It’s also the entry point to an entire category. Once you understand the pesto formula, every garden herb and most leafy greens become potential pesto, and you stop needing a recipe.
Here is the formula, plus seven specific pesto variations that turn one base technique into a year-round summer pantry.
Key takeaways
- How to make pesto comes down to a simple formula: green + nut + cheese + fat + acid + salt + garlic. Swap any element and you have a new pesto.
- Seven variations cover the entire summer: classic basil, pistachio-arugula, cilantro-pumpkin seed, sorrel, sage-walnut, mint-pea, and watercress.
- Each variation pairs naturally with specific dishes: cilantro with grilled fish, sage with butternut squash, mint-pea with pasta and lamb.
- Pesto freezes beautifully in small portions. Make in summer abundance, eat through winter.
- The nutritional density of homemade pesto (especially with calcium-rich greens like watercress) far exceeds anything in a jar.
The pesto formula
Every pesto has seven elements, in roughly this ratio for one cup of finished pesto:
- 2 cups loosely packed greens or herbs (the GREEN)
- 1/3 cup nuts or seeds, toasted (the NUT)
- 1/2 cup grated hard cheese (the CHEESE)
- 1/2 cup good olive oil (the FAT)
- Squeeze of lemon juice (the ACID)
- 1 teaspoon flaky salt (the SALT)
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves (the GARLIC)
Pulse everything in a food processor until combined but still textured. Taste and adjust. That’s pesto.
Variation 1: Classic basil pesto (Genovese)
- Green: 2 cups fresh basil
- Nut: 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
- Cheese: 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (plus optional 1/4 cup Pecorino)
- Fat: 1/2 cup good olive oil
- Acid: 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Salt: 1 teaspoon flaky salt
- Garlic: 2 cloves
Best uses: pasta, grilled vegetables, soups (stirred in at the end), bruschetta.
Variation 2: Pistachio-arugula pesto
- Green: 1 cup arugula + 1 cup basil
- Nut: 1/3 cup toasted pistachios
- Cheese: 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano
- Fat: 1/2 cup olive oil
- Acid: 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt: 1 teaspoon
- Garlic: 2 cloves
Best uses: pasta with shrimp, on roasted carrots, with grilled lamb. The peppery arugula and rich pistachio combination is more sophisticated than classic basil pesto.
Variation 3: Cilantro and pumpkin seed pesto
- Green: 2 cups fresh cilantro (stems included)
- Nut: 1/3 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
- Cheese: 1/2 cup crumbled cotija (or Parmigiano if unavailable)
- Fat: 1/2 cup olive oil
- Acid: 2 tablespoons lime juice
- Salt: 1 teaspoon
- Garlic: 1 clove
- Optional: 1 small jalapeño
Best uses: grilled fish, tacos, scrambled eggs, on roasted sweet potato. Latin-influenced and works on almost anything.
| “Pesto is not a recipe. It’s a formula. Once you understand the seven elements, you have an infinite number of pestos you can make from whatever your garden is producing this week.”
Lindsay Springer, Ph.D., Director of Plants, Nutrition & Digital Agriculture, Gardyn |
Variation 4: Red sorrel pesto
- Green: 2 cups red sorrel leaves
- Nut: 1/3 cup toasted almonds
- Cheese: 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano (less than usual, because sorrel is already tangy)
- Fat: 1/2 cup olive oil
- Acid: skip the lemon (sorrel provides the acid)
- Salt: 1 teaspoon
- Garlic: 1 clove
Best uses: with grilled salmon, on goat cheese toast, drizzled over poached eggs. Sorrel’s natural tartness makes this pesto bright in a way the others aren’t.
Variation 5: Sage and walnut pesto
- Green: 1/2 cup fresh sage + 1 cup parsley
- Nut: 1/3 cup toasted walnuts
- Cheese: 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano
- Fat: 1/2 cup olive oil
- Acid: 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Salt: 1 teaspoon
- Garlic: 2 cloves
Best uses: tossed with butternut squash ravioli, on roasted root vegetables, with roast chicken. Earthier and more autumnal than basil pesto.
Variation 6: Mint and pea pesto
- Green: 1 cup fresh mint + 1 cup parsley + 1/2 cup blanched peas (frozen is fine)
- Nut: 1/3 cup toasted almonds
- Cheese: 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano
- Fat: 1/2 cup olive oil
- Acid: 1 tablespoon lemon juice + zest of 1/2 lemon
- Salt: 1 teaspoon
- Garlic: 1 clove
Best uses: with grilled lamb chops, on toast with ricotta, stirred into orzo or farro. Spring-into-summer in a single pesto.
Variation 7: Watercress pesto
- Green: 2 cups watercress
- Nut: 1/3 cup toasted hazelnuts
- Cheese: 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano
- Fat: 1/2 cup olive oil
- Acid: 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Salt: 1 teaspoon
- Garlic: 2 cloves
Best uses: with potatoes (boiled new potatoes tossed with watercress pesto are extraordinary), with grilled steak, on poached eggs. The most nutrient-dense pesto on this list.
The nutrition case for homemade pesto
Jarred pesto is typically made with industrial vegetable oil, less herb than the label implies, and significant amounts of added salt. Homemade pesto, especially made with greens like watercress, sorrel, and arugula, is genuinely nutrient-dense food: leafy greens are sources of vitamins K, A, and C; nuts and seeds bring healthy fats and minerals; olive oil contributes monounsaturated fats; the garlic and herbs add polyphenols and antioxidants.
A two-tablespoon serving of homemade pesto delivers a meaningful amount of these nutrients alongside flavor. Jarred pesto doesn’t.
How to freeze pesto
Pesto freezes beautifully. Two methods:
- Ice cube trays: fill each cube with pesto, freeze, transfer to a bag. Each cube is roughly 2 tablespoons, perfect for one serving of pasta.
- Flat bags: pour finished pesto into a freezer bag, press flat, freeze. Break off chunks as needed.
Pesto keeps frozen for 6 months. Color holds best if you cover the top with a thin layer of olive oil before freezing.
Plant a pesto-ready Gardyn
A Gardyn Home grows all the greens in these seven variations: basil, arugula, cilantro, sorrel, sage, mint, watercress, plus parsley. That’s a pesto pantry that produces continuously through summer.
| Grow a pesto pantry in two square feet
A Gardyn floor column grows seven different pesto greens at once. Memorial Day sale is on now. |
Frequently asked questions
Can I make pesto without cheese?
Yes. Replace the cheese with an extra 2 tablespoons of toasted nuts (for richness) and 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast (for umami). The result is vegan and still tastes like pesto.
What’s the best nut for pesto if I have a pine nut allergy?
Walnuts and almonds are the most common substitutes and work in virtually any pesto recipe. Pistachios add a sweeter, more delicate flavor. Sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds also work and are nut-free.
How long does fresh pesto last in the fridge?
Five to seven days in a sealed container with a thin layer of olive oil on top to prevent oxidation. The bright green color may darken slightly but the flavor stays excellent.
Why does my pesto turn brown?
Oxidation. The bright green chlorophyll in fresh herbs oxidizes when exposed to air. To prevent: cover with olive oil, work fast, and use the pesto quickly. Color doesn’t affect taste, just appearance.
Can I use a blender instead of a food processor?
Yes, but you need more liquid and the texture is finer. Add the olive oil first to give the blades something to work with. A high-powered blender (Vitamix) makes excellent pesto.
How much pesto should I make at one time?
Make a double batch. Use half within the week and freeze the rest. The freezer approach turns one Sunday afternoon of work into months of weeknight dinners.