My large batch basil pesto recipe is bright, savory, and the perfect addition to any meal! Made with just 6 simple ingredients, this recipe is easy to prepare, yields over 5 cups, and tastes far better than any pesto you’ll find at your local grocery store.
“When in doubt, add some pesto” is basically my life motto! Lucky for me, my husband grows a crazy amount of basil every summer.
So, I put it to use in this homemade basil pesto recipe.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Simple ingredients – Believe it or not, all you need are six simple ingredients!
- Quick and easy – With no cooking and simple steps, you can have homemade basil ready to use with just 15 minutes of prep.
- Large batch – I go through tons of pesto, and those tiny store-bought jars just never cut it for me. Luckily, this recipe makes up to 5½ cups, so I can happily pour, layer, and spread pesto on everything!
Once you learn how to make basil pesto, you’ll never go back to store-bought options again. Keep it on hand to use with pesto salmon, pesto mozzarella chicken meatballs, pesto artichoke dip, and basil pesto pasta!
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Pin ItKey Ingredient Notes
- Basil leaves – Use the freshest basil you can find for the most flavorful pesto. If you don’t have it growing in your garden, be sure that when you grab it at the grocery store, it’s bright green and doesn’t show any signs of wilting.
- Pine nuts – This is a traditional ingredient in pesto, adding a complex nutty flavor that I love. However, if you’re not a fan or there’s an allergy in your household, you can substitute pine nuts with other nuts or seeds, such as sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.
- Garlic – For the best taste, buy a head of garlic, and use the fresh garlic cloves. You’ll need at least 15 cloves, but you can always add more if you’re a garlic lover, like me.
- Olive oil helps to loosen up the ingredients, transforming the pesto from a paste into a smooth sauce. It also adds a rich, slightly peppery flavor and a boost of healthy fats!
- Parmigiano-Reggiano – This is a specific type of Parmesan cheese made in Italy. It has a richer, slightly nutty flavor that makes for the most delicious basil pesto. I typically find it in the specialty cheese section of my local grocery store. However, if it’s not available, regular Parmesan will also work. Buy a block of cheese, and grate it yourself for the best taste and texture!
- Lemon juice – Citrus helps to balance out the heaviness of the fats, adding a bright, well-rounded flavor. Freshly squeezed is best!
How to make big batch basil pesto
- Wash and thoroughly dry the basil leaves.
- Arrange them on a baking sheet, and freeze for 1-2 hours or until solid.
For Creamy pesto sauce
I learned from Serious Eats that freezing basil leaves makes a creamier pesto sauce. When basil leaves freeze, ice crystals form inside the plant cells. These crystals rupture the cell walls, similar to how a mortar and pestle crush the cells of the basil leaves. The broken-down basil from freezing blends more easily with oil and cheese, stabilizing the emulsion. That’s what makes the sauce less grainy and more velvety.
If you blend fresh basil in a food processor, the sauce turns out chunkier and less flavorful.
- Toast the pine nuts in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently. Pine nuts cook very quickly. So, keep a close eye on your skillet, and remove them from the heat as soon as they’re fragrant and lightly golden brown. Be careful not to burn! Then, set the nuts aside to cool.
- Peel the garlic cloves by smashing them with the flat side of a knife.
- Place the frozen basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, and salt in a large food processor, and process until smooth. (I recommend placing the garlic and pine nuts on the bottom for easier blending.)
- Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while the food processor is still running.
- Add the grated cheese and lemon juice.
- Process for another 30 seconds or just until combined.
Prep ahead of time
Freeze the basil leaves for up to 3 months, storing them in a freezer-safe bag until you’re ready to make your pesto.
Ways to Use Basil Pesto
In my opinion, there’s nothing this recipe doesn’t pair well with! It’s the perfect addition to pasta, sauces, sandwiches, dips, and so much more.
However, if you’re looking for specific ideas, some of my favorite dishes that use pesto include my pesto baked salmon and pesto ricotta stuffed pasta shells.
I also often pair it with cheesy roasted tomato pizza, stuffed chicken roll-ups, or artichoke pizza for dipping.
Tips for Success
- Use a big food processor. I used my 14-cup Cuisinart food processor, which is the perfect size for this recipe.
- Toast those pine nuts for extra flavor. I promise, it won’t overpower the sauce. You could substitute walnuts, but I think splurging on pine nuts is totally worth it.
- Use more or less garlic. I’m a garlic lover, and I use a lot of it. If you’re not a garlic fan (who are you?), feel free to reduce it by half. Just keep in mind that this pesto is not garlicky as is. You can also toast the garlic cloves with the skin on for about 5 minutes over medium heat to reduce the potency.
- Use quality Parmesan cheese. It’s best to buy a block of Parmigiano-Reggiano and grate it yourself. Don’t even think about using the stuff from the green container! You’ll taste the difference. You can also use Romano or Pecorino cheeses for a little more cheesy kick, but I simply use Parmigiano-Reggiano, as I always have it on hand.
- Add the oil slowly. Be careful when adding the oil, pouring it into the food processor in a slow stream while it’s running. This helps create a creamy, emulsified sauce and cohesive taste.
Storing Tips
This large batch basil pesto recipe is meant to be prepared in advance! To do so:
- Prepare the pesto as directed in the recipe.
- Transfer the mixture to an airtight container with a lid, and store it in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- To freeze, divide the pesto into an ice cube tray or a silicone baby food mold, and freeze. Once completely frozen, remove the pesto blocks from the mold and store them in a ziplock bag for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature when ready to use, and it tastes as good as new!
FAQs
The secret to the best pesto is achieving the perfect balance of flavor and freshness. Use high-quality ingredients, including tender, bright green basil leaves, high-quality extra virgin olive oil, and freshly grated Parmesan. Then, blend just enough to combine so the pesto stays vibrant green and flavorful without turning bitter.
The most common mistakes include using damp basil leaves, overprocessing the ingredients, using stale nuts, and skipping the salt.
Yes! Swap the Parmesan for nutritional yeast or a vegan Parmesan alternative. You’ll still get the nutty, cheesy flavor while keeping the recipe completely plant-based.
More Homemade Sauces
Big Batch Basil Pesto
Ingredients
- 10 cups (300 g) packed basil leaves
- 1 cup (140 g) pine nuts
- 1 head of garlic about 15 garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 cups (480 ml) olive oil
- 1 cup (320 g) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Wash and dry the basil leaves. Arrange the leaves on a baking sheet and freeze for about 2 hours. (You can prepare this step in advance. Once frozen, place the frozen leaves in a gallon-size freezer bag.)
- In a medium skillet, toast the pine nuts over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Be careful not to burn them. Cool slightly.
- Peel the garlic cloves by smashing them with a flat side of the knife.
- In a large (14-cup) food processor, place the frozen basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, and salt.
- Process it until smooth.
- While the processor is still running, slowly add olive oil.
- Add grated parmesan and lemon juice and process for another 30 seconds or so.
⭐️ Did you make this recipe?
Please leave a review and let us know how you liked it!
Tips & Notes
– Fresh pesto should be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
– You can also freeze the pesto for up to 6 months. How to Freeze Pesto:
– Option 1: Pour the prepared pesto into a freezer bag, squeeze all the air out, and flatten it. It’s easier to break a small chunk out or defrost it when it’s nice and flat like that.
– Option 2: Divide the pesto into an ice cube tray or silicone freezer molds. Once frozen completely, transfer the pesto cubes into a large freezer bag to store.
Nutrition
This post was originally published on September 15, 2016.
Do you pack the basil? Or 10 loose cups? Thanks
Packed. Let us know if you give it a try, Jenny!
Great recipe! I used cashews as the nut ingredient. I used a little more than one cup of olive oil instead of two cups. It made exactly four cups pesto.
So happy you tried and loved the recipe. Thank you for sharing your tweaks and for your review, Deb!
I am excited to try this because I have tons of basil! I have read that I should leave out the cheese if I am going to freeze it. Thoughts?
Hi, Doris. Yeah, I’ve seen that tip about not adding the cheese before freezing. But I add it anyway and it works out just fine.
This was a fantastic recipe! It came out beautifully. Thank you!!
So glad you tried and loved my pesto recipe. Thank you for your feedback, Beth! Enjoy!
I give this recipe a 10. Very easy
Awesome!!! Thank you so much, Frances!!!
I have tried many pesto recipes over the years and yours is definitely the best for me! Just the right balance of basil, garlic and oil. I froze mine in 4 ounce condiment cups and I’m really looking forward to enjoying it throughout the winter!
Trish, thank you so much for your feedback!! I’m so happy you love my recipe! It’ll be gold during winter for sure!
Great recipe though we needed to add more salt at the end to make the flavor pop – about double what the recipe calls for.
Hi, Erin. Glad you liked the recipe and thanks for sharing your feedback on salt.
This was great! My basil has really done well this year with the amount of rain we’ve had in the northeast of PA and 10 cups was one whole plant for me. I did increase the garlic (who doesn’t like garlic) and decreased the salt just a bit, but other than that I was licking the bowl leftovers 🙂
Thanks for the recipe!
Hi, Ellen!! Lucky you with all that basil harvest!! So glad you made this pesto and loved it. You’re going to enjoy it more once the weather turns. 🙂
Thanks for this recipe. Winter will be a bit sunnier with this on hand. I have a question: did you use the Basil stems?
Hi, Dino. No, I don’t usually add the stems, unless it’s thin ones. It really is convenient to have these in the freeze. Adds ton of fresh summer flavors. 😉