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Pesto Alla Genovese (Italian Basil Pesto)

This homemade Pesto Alla Genovese recipe makes an authentic Italian basil pesto that returns me to the Ligurian coast with every bite. It's super easy to make a small batch at a time so that you have just enough vibrantly fresh pesto to use in your recipe.

Prep Time
20 mins
Total Time
20 mins
Servings: 6 tablespoons
Calories: 102 kcal
Course: Condiments
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • ½ small garlic clove , peeled
  • small pinch coarse sea salt , more to taste
  • ½ packed cup fresh basil leaves
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts , lightly toasted
  • ¼ heaping cup finely grated parmesan cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano)* , more to taste
  • 3 tablespoons mild extra virgin olive oil , more to store

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Bash the garlic clove with a small pinch of sea salt in a mortar with the pestle until the garlic resembles a smooth paste – I use about ⅛ teaspoon coarse salt.
  2. Tear in the basil leaves in stages, crushing and pounding the leaves to make room for the next few. Pound until you have a fairly fine, emerald green paste.
  3. Add the lightly toasted pine nuts and pound until there are no large chunks of pine nuts visible.
  4. Add the freshly grated parmesan cheese and pound again until you have a light green and creamy, thick paste.
  5. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, stirring as you go, until well incorporated.
  6. Let the pesto sit for a few minutes for the flavours to come together, then taste and adjust with more parmesan, salt, or olive oil for the perfect flavour and consistency.
  7. Use the pesto sauce straight away or transfer it to an airtight container or mason jar, drizzle with a thin layer of olive oil and refrigerate until you're ready to use it.

Notes

  •  
  • This small batch basil pesto recipe is great if you need only a few tablespoons of authentic Italian pesto. But, if you want to get ahead on meal prep with a large batch that's perfect for freezing in portions, try my foolproof food processor or blender basil pesto recipe.
  • Oil: A mild-tasting olive oil works best, a very peppery-tasting olive oil can sometimes be overwhelming. You can also opt for a neutral oil like sunflower or avocado oil.
  • Nuts: While pine nuts are the traditional pesto choice, they are very expensive. Explore some alternatives for pine nuts in pesto if you don't have any.
  • Cheese: You can also use grated Pecorino Romano cheese. The most important is that it is freshly grated cheese.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1tablespoon Calories 102kcal (5%) Carbohydrates 1g (0%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 10g (15%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 6g Cholesterol 3mg (1%) Sodium 116mg (5%) Potassium 37mg (1%) Fiber 0.2g (1%) Sugar 0.2g (0%) Vitamin A 253IU (5%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 58mg (6%) Iron 0.4mg (2%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6tablespoons

Amount Per Serving

Calories 102

% Daily Value*

Serving 1tablespoon
Calories 102kcal 5%
Carbohydrates 1g 0%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 10g 15%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 6g 30%
Cholesterol 3mg 1%
Sodium 116mg 5%
Potassium 37mg 1%
Fiber 0.2g 1%
Sugar 0.2g 0%
Vitamin A 253IU 5%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 58mg 6%
Iron 0.4mg 2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.