Traditional Pesto alla Genovese

A small dutch oven with basil pesto drizzled in olive oil and topped with a basil leaf.

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A traditional recipe for pesto alla Genovese (or basil pesto), featuring vibrant and aromatic notes of basil, salty cheese, and pine nuts, all pounded together to form a beautifully creamy sauce.

Prep Time30

Total Time30

Servings: cup pesto

Calories: 137kcal

Author: Karishma Pradhan

Ingredients

2 cloves garlic
¾ teaspoon Diamond-Crystal Kosher Salt or ⅜ teaspoon Morton Kosher Salt | plus more to taste
3 tablespoons pine nuts
65 grams stemmed Genovese basil leaves from 100g basil (with stems) or 65g pre-stemmed basil | see notes
20 grams Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese about ¼ cup | lightly packed
10 grams Pecorino Fiore Sardo about 2 tablespoons, lightly packed | see notes on using Pecorino Romano instead
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep the Herbs:

Plunge stemmed basil leaves into a large bowl of ice water to remove any grit and preserve their color. Set aside.

Mortar and Pestle Method:

Smash 2 cloves garlic with ¾ teaspoon Diamond-Crystal Kosher Salt into a fine paste in a mortar and pestle. Add 3 tablespoons pine nuts and mash into a rough, creamy paste.
Squeeze out any excess water from the basil leaves, then add about a quarter of the 65 grams stemmed Genovese basil leaves to the mortar and pestle. Continue mashing until mostly disintegrated, then repeat with the remaining batches of basil.
Stir in 20 grams Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and 10 grams Pecorino Fiore Sardo until the pesto is somewhat creamy, with small, uneven bits of basil flecked throughout.
While pounding, slowly drizzle in ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil until nicely creamy.

Food Processor Method:

Add 2 cloves garlic, ¾ teaspoon Diamond-Crystal Kosher Salt, 3 tablespoons pine nuts, 65 grams stemmed Genovese basil leaves, 20 grams Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and 10 grams Pecorino Fiore Sardo to a food processor fitted with a blade.
Pulse into a slightly chunky paste. Drizzle in ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil and continue pulsing until creamy but still textured.

Season and Taste:

Season pesto with additional salt to taste (if desired).
Make this pesto your own! It should taste vibrantly aromatic and earthy, with plenty of salt and a hint of garlic. Want more umami? Add a bit more cheese. Not creamy enough? Add more olive oil.
I like to season it so that it's a bit stronger than I'd prefer on its own; that way, when you mix it with pasta, it's perfectly salted.

Notes

Basil: Basil at the grocery store often comes in both stemmed and pre-stemmed packages. If pre-stemmed, you'll want around 105g (or 3.7 ounces) to yield about 65g stemmed leaves. When removing the stems, keep any small, softer stems but remove larger, tougher stems.

For best results, look for Gotham Greens, which sells Genovese-style basil, or varieties labeled 'Italian Basil' with medium-sized, softer-looking cupped leaves. Regular basil will still be tasty but yield a slightly stringier texture.

Cheese: Pecorino sardo can be tricky to find, but I've had the best luck at specialty cheese shops. Can't find it? Use 25g Parmigiano-Reggiano and 5g Pecorino Romano instead.

Equipment:  The mortar and pestle will yield the *best* basil-forward flavor and consistency, but you can also use a food processor.

Storage: Fresh pesto will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container. To help prevent browning, smooth the surface and top it with a thin layer of olive oil before sealing.

Serving with Pasta: My preferred ratio is 1 tablespoon pesto: 1 ounce pasta. Cook pasta until boiling, then drain and toss with pasta off the heat (heat will muddy the flavors!) and a little pasta water if needed.

Recipe adapted from Pasta Grannies - Maurizio's Pesto

Nutrition