pesto recipes

Keep this basic Basil Pesto recipe from Food Network Kitchen in your arsenal and use it for topping pasta, fish, chicken, pizza and more.

Basil Pesto

basil leaves

garlic

pine nuts

extra-virgin olive oil, divided

salt and black pepper,

Pecorino cheese

How to Make Pesto | Fresh Basil Pesto

Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

If using immediately, add all the remaining oil and pulse until smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large serving bowl and mix in the cheese.

If freezing, transfer to an air-tight container and drizzle remaining oil over the top. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and stir in cheese.

1/2 cup of olive oil is enough. You don’t need to add the extra as instructed at the end unless you like it really oily. 

Excellent! Added about a half cup spinach to counteract any bitterness.

Beauty of simplicity . Proportions are just right. 

Absolutely delicious sauce over fettuccine!<div>Can decrease the oil a bit. The kosher salt really adds to the taste.</div>

This recipe is really great. Seeing some of the other reviews I would like to offer a few suggestions. Always get a good quality olive oil. Unfiltered, Unheated Olive Oil. It's considered raw. It's ok to heat olive oil and won't loose it's taste or go bitter if it's quality. Also, it's important for it to be in a dark bottle so it doesn't go rancid. If Olive Oil is in a clear bottle, there is almost 100% chance that it's rancid. It's so worth it :)

This recipe is so easy, and it taste so good.  It's perfect with a baguette.

Can't wait to try it

https://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/how-to-make-basil-pesto-0227348

Frederic shares helpful tips for making and storing fresh basil pesto.

How to Make Basil Pesto

A simple creamy sauce infused with basil pesto makes this Creamy Pesto Mac and Cheese with spinach the ultimate comfort food WITH a dose of vegetables!

Creamy Pesto Mac and Cheese with Spinach

macaroni (0.50)

butter

Tbsp flour (0.02)

milk

grated Romano or Parmesan (0.53)

basil pesto (1.33)

salt (0.02)

pepper

lb. frozen spinach (0.80)

Thaw the spinach at room temperature or in the microwave. Squeeze out the excess water. Set the spinach aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add the macaroni noodles. Boil for 7-10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain the macaroni in a colander.

While the pasta is boiling, prepare the sauce. Add the butter and flour to a small sauce pot. Heat and stir the butter and flour over medium heat until it forms a creamy paste and begins to bubble. Continue to stir and cook for about one minute more.

Whisk the milk into the butter and flour, then allow it to come up to a simmer, while whisking. When it reaches a simmer, the sauce will thicken. Remove the sauce from the heat.

Whisk the Romano (or Parmesan) and pesto into the sauce until smooth. This will further thicken the sauce. Season the sauce with salt and freshly cracked pepper. Make sure the sauce is well seasoned as the flavors will be less concentrated once the pasta and spinach are stirred in.

Return the cooked and drained pasta to the large pot (heat turned off) and add the thawed spinach. Pour the sauce over top, then stir until everything is combined and coated in sauce. Serve immediately.

https://embed.mediavine.com/videos/gmcqng78gb0ahlthxkmr

Take your comfort food mac and cheese to the next level with a dollop of basil pesto and some hidden greens for good measure!

Creamy Pesto Mac with Spinach

Veggie Top Pesto

walnuts

carrot fronds

beet greens

celery leaves

Parmesan

olive oil

red pepper flakes

salt and black pepper

Jeff Mauro makes Veggie Tops Pesto, as seen on Food Network's The Kitchen

In a food processor, combine the nuts and garlic and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the carrot fronds, beet greens, celery leaves and Parmesan and pulse until finely ground. With the food processor running, add the oil and red pepper flakes. Taste, then season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a resealable container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks (or freeze for up to 3 months).

https://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/veggie-top-pesto-5206639

Jeff makes a delicious pesto using the leafy tops of various vegetables.

Veggie-Top Pesto

Pasta with Spinach &amp; Roasted Red Pepper Pesto

Pasta

almonds

lemon

red peppers

baby spinach (about 2 cups)

tbsp. grated pecorino or Parmesan

Kosher salt and pepper

Pungent, peppery radish greens make perfect pesto and pack a nutritional punch!  Use with chicken, fish, pasta, vegetables, potatoes or any other way you would use traditional basil pesto.

Radish Greens Pesto

radish tops (packed), washed and dried

garlic,

of ½ a lemon

Parmesan cheese

extra-virgin olive oil

Combine first 6 ingredients in a food processor...

Combine first 6 ingredients in a food processor or blender.

Process until smooth, scraping down the sides as...

Process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.

Add additional olive oil to achieve a thick...

Add additional olive oil to achieve a thick sauce consistency. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Spicy Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

Kosher salt

penne pasta

oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained

piquillo peppers, drained

hazelnuts

sherry vinegar

red chili sauce,

black pepper

Pecorino Romano cheese,

European-style full-fat butter, softened

basil leaves,

Geoffrey Zakarian makes Penne with Spicy Sundried Tomato "Pesto", as seen on Food Network's The Kitchen

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta until al dente according to the package instructions.

While the pasta cooks, make the pesto. Add the tomatoes, peppers, hazelnuts, vinegar and chili sauce to the carafe of a food processor. Process until smooth, about 2 minutes. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. If the mixture seems too thick, add a splash of pasta water.

Add the cheese, butter, half of the pesto and a ladleful of pasta water to a large bowl. When the pasta is ready, drain and add it directly to the bowl. Stir together, adding more pesto as desired, or more pasta water to reach the desired consistency. Grate more cheese over the pasta and garnish with basil leaves. Serve immediately.

Extra pesto, placed in an airtight container and topped with a layer of olive oil, will keep in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

This pesto sauce is awesome! I used pecans because that’s all I had. Delicious!

I love the recipe. I did buy sun dried tomatoes in oil vs the dried one packed in plastic so no weird or after taste. I used pimiento since I couldn't find piquillo peppers.

I was terribly disappointed with this recipe.  Will not make it again.  It had a bad after taste with it.  Not your typical Geoffrey recipe.

Hubby saw this on TV and asked me to make it.  I turned out very good  I served this with seared scallops and a fully loaded salad.  I will make this again. 

What a fun spin to pasta night.  We can already taste the pesto on our eggs in the morning.   Thanks GZ for showing us a new use for fancy pimentos!!

I was unable to find the Spanish peppers so substituted, also subbed the hot sauce with harissa, roasted almonds for the hazelnuts (couldn’t find at two stores) but it turned out well. I would give it five stars if I had found all the ingredients. I’ll definitely make it again. 

https://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/spicy-sun-dried-tomato-pesto-5625533

Spicy chile sauce and toasted hazelnuts put a spin on traditional pesto.

Spicy Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

Penne with Pesto

basil

kosher salt,

penne rigate pasta

Penne with Pesto, garlic and onion based recipes for SCOPE.

Meanwhile, pluck the basil leaves from the stems (you should have about 2 cups leaves). Wash the leaves in a large bowl of cold water and dry in a salad spinner or pat dry with paper towels. Smash and peel the garlic.

Put the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. With the processor running, gradually add the olive oil and process until the pesto is smooth. Transfer the pesto to a large bowl and stir in the cheese. Season with the salt and some pepper.

Bring a large pot of cold water to a boil over high heat and salt it generously. Add the penne and boil, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain in a colander and save about 1/4 cup pasta cooking water. Add the pasta to the bowl. Use tongs and toss with enough of the cooking water so the pesto coats the pasta evenly. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Upgrades: a. Make the pesto creamy by adding 1/4 cup ricotta cheese when processing the basil, garlic, and pine nuts. This is great with tortellini or ravioli. b. Top dressed pesto pasta with 1/2 pound diced large or halved small fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini), 3 medium tomatoes cut in large chunks, and 1/2 cup pitted black olives, (we like kalamata for this), roughly chopped. c. Add cooked 1 to 2 cups chicken or shrimp.

Twists on Pesto: In place of basil, try the following combination: 1 cup parsley, 1 cup fresh spinach leaves, 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves. Substitute walnuts for the pine nuts

I tried this with the Ricotta upgrade and everyone at my part commented on how yummy it was!! 

Loved it i added some sundried tomatoes to the pesto and yummy.

Tried, was excellent, tasty, family like it very much

Looking for an easy pesto recipe? This Broccoli Pesto recipe from Delish.com is the best.

Broccoli Pesto

broccoli,

c. extra-virgin olive oil

c. Parmesan

c. almonds

kosher salt

This pesto pasta is so quick and easy to make and so delicious. The natural sweetness from roasting red bell pepper is the perfect match for nutty toasted walnuts and tangy sun-dried tomatoes!

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Pasta

red bell peppers

sun-dried tomatoes

walnuts, roasted

zucchinis

salt

⅛ tsp black pepper

dry spaghetti

De-seed and cut bell peppers into quarters.

Brush bell peppers and garlic cloves with olive oil and place in a baking dish / tray.

Roast for 30 minutes, flip bell peppers, then roast for another 10 minutes.

Cut zucchinis into pieces and place in another baking dish / tray. Drizzle a little bit of olive oil all over and toss to coat.

About 10 minutes before the bell peppers are done, put zucchinis in the oven to roast.

When the vegetables are nearly done roasting, cook your spaghetti in a large pot of salted water according to instructions on package. Reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water for later. Drain and set aside in a large skillet.

Remove roasted vegetables from the oven. Transfer zucchini to the skillet with the spaghetti.

Transfer bell peppers and garlic to food processor or high-speed blender. Add sun-dried tomatoes, walnuts, salt and pepper, and process until almost smooth but still slightly chunky. Add cooking water from the pasta to thin out the pesto if desired, 1 tbsp at a time, until desired consistency.

Add pesto to the skillet. Toss with spaghetti and zucchini until mixed through. Warm up over medium heat until heated through. Divide into two servings bowls and enjoy!

Spinach Pesto Scrambled Eggs on Garlic Brioche with Country Ham

brioche

eggs

heavy cream

shallot,

Salt and black pepper

Spinach Pesto, recipe follows

baby spinach

Asiago cheese,

RE0203
Spinach Pesto Scrambled Eggs on Garlic Brioche

In a large skillet over medium-low heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add garlic and distribute evenly, then add brioche and coat on both sides with garlic butter. Toast over low heat so garlic doesn't burn until slightly brown and crisp. Remove to a plate. Wipe the pan with a paper towel, melt 1 tablespoon butter and add the ham. Cook the ham over medium heat to brown slightly on both sides and to heat through. Remove to a plate.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, and shallot. In a nonstick skillet over low heat, melt remaining butter. Cook egg mixture over low heat, whisking the entire time so the eggs form little loose curds. Serve eggs over brioche and dollop top with Spinach Pesto.

In a food processor, pulse to blend, spinach, walnuts, garlic and cheese. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. While machine is running, drizzle in oil until the mixture forms a loose paste. Season, to taste, with pepper.

YUMMY!  This dish was SO delicious!  Not at all hard to make.  Definitely filling.  Couldn't find brioche, so we used english muffins instead.  Just as good!  Awesome recipe!

The egg dish was good.  What's better than any kind of ham and eggs!  It is true that cream will make scrambled eggs creamier, but adding a little water is the best choice.  Water makes the eggs lighter and fluffier (better for us than the cream as well, of course.)

What a wonderful way to kick up ham and eggs! Will use the leftover sauce on pasta. 

Sorry - rude to type with my mouth full 8-)  This was a great concept.  Used my own pesto (basil running amok in the garden, now).  The fine, grainy, slightly sweet texture of the brioche made it extra yum-oh!  Thanks!

I didn't exactly follow the recipe. I made the pesto and used on thin spagetti noodles and thought it was excellent. I did not use asigio cheese as I did not have any.  I used parmesan reggiano. My husband and I enjoyed the pesto.

How many times did she say "Geen Eggs and Ham",I lost count!!! Slow down Sunny!!!

Shrimp with Roasted Garlic Pesto Pasta

garlic cloves, peeled (about 1 head)

olive oil, plus extra for tomatoes

cherry tomatoes

linguine

shrimp,

pine nuts, toasted

Place garlic cloves in a single layer in a small baking dish. Add 1/2 cup olive oil to cover cloves, cover with foil, and bake 45 minutes, until golden brown and fork-tender. Meanwhile, in another baking dish, toss tomatoes with enough oil to coat. Lightly season with salt and pepper and roast at same temperature until tomatoes blister, about 25 minutes.

Strain garlic cloves and set aside in a small bowl, reserving infused oil separately. In a blender, add the roasted tomatoes, roasted garlic, Parmesan, and basil. Pulse until combined. While machine is running, drizzle in 1/2 cup olive oil until pesto comes together. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Remove to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and reserve.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Add the linguine and cook until al dente. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the garlic oil. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and saute until the shrimp turn pink and is cooked through.

In a large bowl add the linguine and some of the pesto. Toss to coat and top with the shrimp. Garnish with toasted pine nuts and serve.

Made it twice for my family.  I added more basil then the recipe calls for and also blended some the roasted pine nuts with the sauce to make it thicker.  A big hit to everyone that taste this recipe.  Thanks Sunny.

sooo amazing!  I used some of the infused garlic oil and coated the shrimp and then roasted for seven minutes in the oven at 400 degrees. I used the rest of the infused olive oil and put in the pesto with the added olive oil suggested. I can't stop thinking about how wonderful this recipe is.<br />Enjoy!

I followed the recipe and like others added more garlic and it's FANTASTIC!<br /><br />Thank you Sunny for sharing and to reviewers for adding suggestions. I'll be serving this at the next family get together and impressing everyone!

I added more garlic than the recipe called for because I always add more. I followed some of the reviewers advice and cut the salt by 2/3.  I roast garlic all the time  but I cut the top off exposing the garlic put in tin foil and put a little EVOO over  the top and let it go for 30 to 45 minutes let it cool and squezz it out yummy.  I like this recipe.

Made this for dinner tonight... Family loved it! I did the low and slow on the garlic and tomatoes, added parsley to the basil, and  a roasted red bell pepper to the pesto. Next time I'm going to try it with chicken and use cilantro and pecans in the pesto...<br />

I read the recipe when I made this and added the 1 1/2 tsp. of salt it called for and it was so salty we could not eat it. Who proof reads these recipes ?  <br />This is not the first dish that has been ruined because the ingredients were wrong.

I love this sauce! I first made it a few years ago with my husband and it continues to be one of our favorites. I do add more than 1 cup of basil because a strong basil flavor is never a bad thing, and cooking the shrimp in the garlic oil is key, don't skip that step! Add a crusty bread to this dish and I am in heaven.

Made this tonite, it was good but it was missing something. I did think that it had a little too much basil, I put the garlic and olive oil in a glass measuring cup, as one of the reviewers suggested, but I also sat the measuring in side a small aluminium pan, the garlic came out beautiful and it only took about 30 minutes. I will make this again and follows some suggestions left by other reviewers. 

https://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/linguini-with-shrimp-and-pesto-0132714

Sunny prepares an Italian-inspired meal of linguini with shrimp and pesto.

Linguini With Shrimp and Pesto

Pistachio Pesto Pasta

fettuccine

pistachios

Parmesan,

garlic, roughly chopped

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, make the pistachio pesto. Combine the pistachios, basil, olive oil, Parmesan, garlic, lemon zest and juice and some salt and pepper in a food processor and process until well combined.

Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta. Toss the pasta with the pistachio sauce, thinning with the pasta water for the desired consistency if necessary. Serve with more Parmesan and basil leaves.

This was by far the best pesto I have Tried!  Great job Ree’

I really liked this. Be sure to add enough salt, I added about half a teaspoon. I had some leftover pesto and it was even better the next dat!

Made this last night for a party and it was fantastic. I did add extra lemon juice to get it to blend and we all loved how it made traditional pesto a bit lighter. I saved the extra pesto that didn't make it onto the pasta and had it on toast this morning. So yummy!

https://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/pistachio-pesto-pasta-11343244

Ree adds a little extra green with pistachios for this quick, easy pesto.

Classic Pesto

basil (about 3 cups)

extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional as needed

lemon juice

Add the basil, Parmesan, pine nuts and garlic to a food processor. Pulse a few times to break up the garlic and nuts. Add 1/4 cup olive oil and pulse a few more times, scraping down the sides as needed. With the motor running, stream in the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and the lemon juice until a thick paste forms. Add salt and pepper to taste and pulse a few more times to combine.

Top 26 pesto recipes recipes from across the web

The most viewed pesto recipes recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

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Top 26 pesto recipes recipes from across the web

The most viewed pesto recipes recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Basil Pesto

Creamy Pesto Mac and Cheese with Sp...

Veggie Top Pesto

Pasta with Spinach &amp; Roasted Re...

Radish Greens Pesto

Spicy Sun-dried Tomato Pesto

Penne with Pesto

Broccoli Pesto

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Pasta

Spinach Pesto Scrambled Eggs on Gar...

Shrimp with Roasted Garlic Pesto Pa...

Pistachio Pesto Pasta

Classic Pesto

Sicilian Tomato Pesto

Pesto with Basil and Parsley

Tomato, Mozzarella and Pesto Sandwi...

Shrimp Pesto Spring Rolls with Quic...

Lasagna al Pesto Genovese

Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe Pest...

Pesto Tofu Sandwich Recipe

Spaghetti with Quick Pesto Tomato S...

Tomato Pesto

Any Herb Pesto

Greens 'n' Beans

Bow Ties with Artichoke Pesto

Lamb Burgers with Arugula Pesto and...

The most viewed pesto recipes recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Pasta with Spinach & Roasted Re...