Fresh pesto in a white bowl next to kale

HOW TO MAKE FRESH PESTO IN A BLENDER

Pesto is a rich and flavorful sauce that you can make to elevate any number of recipes. The general recipe uses simple ingredients you can swap with your favorite herbs or vegetable scraps like carrot greens to create a delicious alternative to tomato-based sauces. You can make homemade pesto with the help of your blender to enjoy whenever creativity strikes.

Roasted salmon topped with homemade pesto Roasted salmon topped with homemade pesto

WHAT IS PESTO?

Pesto is an Italian sauce that combines herbs, oil, nuts and parmesan cheese to create a fresh and rich flavor profile. The word “pesto” in Italian translates to “pound,” as the traditional method of making pesto was to pound ingredients together with a mortar and pestle.

You no longer need to combine ingredients by hand to get fresh-tasting pesto. Instead, your blender can do most of the work while you spend more time experimenting with new flavor profiles to pair with this sauce.

WHAT DOES PESTO TASTE LIKE?

The traditional ingredients for a pesto are fresh basil leaves, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts and parmesan cheese. These ingredients create a unique, earthy, aromatic flavor with a subtle nuttiness.

You can customize the taste profile of your sauce with different herbs, oil and nuts to suit your taste. For instance, you can swap out the basil for parsley or cilantro for a more herbaceous flavor. You can also use almonds or walnuts instead of pine nuts to get an earthier nutty flavor.

BLENDER PESTO RECIPE

You can whip up pesto whenever you please with the help of your KitchenAid® blender. Use the following instructions to learn how to achieve the perfect texture for homemade pesto in your blender.

YIELDS
  • 5 servings

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 part nuts, like pine nuts, walnuts or pistachios

  • 2 parts oil, like olive oil

  • 8 parts fresh herbs of choice, including basil, sage, parsley or cilantro
  • Garlic

  • 1 part grated parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast

  • Lemon juice (optional)

  • Salt and pepper

TOOLS
PREP TIME
  • 5 minutes

TOTAL TIME
  • 10 minutes

Person placing fresh herbs inside a French door refrigerator

STEP 1: PREP YOUR INGREDIENTS

Gather all of your tools and ingredients onto your workspace. Peel the garlic and wash your fresh herbs with cold water. Remove any hard or fibrous stems from the herbs. Add a single layer of nuts to a large, heated skillet and toast for 1–2 minutes on medium-low heat.

Pesto ingredients inside a black KitchenAid® blender

STEP 2: ADD INGREDIENTS TO YOUR BLENDER

Add oil, herbs, toasted nuts, cheese and lemon juice into your blender jar. Secure the lid onto the jar and twist until locked in place. Set your blender to medium speed (speed 3 or 4) to blend your sauce until well mixed. Scrape the sides of the blender jar to ensure everything is fully incorporated.

Homemade pesto next to a bottle of oil and kale

STEP 3: CHECK CONSISTENCY AND SEASON

Remove the blender lid and check the consistency of your pesto. If the sauce is too thick, add another drizzle of oil and blend until smooth. Once it has reached your desired consistency, salt and pepper to taste before serving.

SHOP KITCHENAID® BLENDERS FOR MAKING PESTO

Blue KitchenAid® blender Blue KitchenAid® blender

SHOULD I ONLY USE OLIVE OIL FOR PESTO?

Though traditional pesto utilizes olive oil, you can substitute it for other mildly flavored options. Canola, sunflower and avocado oils are neutral alternatives that may not overpower the sauce with their flavors.

Oils with strong flavors like sesame or walnut oil may throw off the balance of your pesto and shouldn't be used to replace olive oil.

WHAT CAN I USE INSTEAD OF PINE NUTS IN PESTO?

If you can’t find pine nuts, have an allergy or simply want to customize your recipe, you can experiment with several types of nuts to create a unique pesto recipe. Consider substituting pine nuts with walnuts, cashews, pistachios, pecans and hazelnuts to subtly change the taste of your sauce. 

Different types of nuts can complement a variety of herbs to create divine flavors, like this vibrant Pistachio Pesto with Parsley or this earthy Sage Walnut Pesto. You can even replace pine nuts with seeds like this zesty Cilantro Hemp Seed Pesto recipe.

WHY DOES MY HOMEMADE PESTO TASTE BITTER?

There are a few possible causes for bitter homemade pesto, like using oil past its prime or not properly balancing ingredients like garlic and herbs with enough cheese or nutritional yeast. Make sure to check the expiration date on your oil, and if necessary add more cheese or nutritional yeast to balance out the flavors. 

Also, be sure to avoid over-blending both your olive oil and basil as this can create a bitter flavor in your homemade pesto. Allowing your pesto to sit in the refrigerator overnight can also help mellow out any strong aftertaste. 

Linguine tossed with pesto Linguine tossed with pesto

WHAT CAN I SERVE WITH PESTO?

Pesto is a chameleon sauce that you can modify to pair with almost any savory dish, from pasta and pizza to chicken and fish. You can give zucchini, carrots and asparagus a flavor boost with these Grilled Vegetables and Pesto, or make pizza night more interesting with Chicken Pesto Pizza.

Elevate your next barbecue by making Creamy Pesto Potato Salad or impress party guests by serving Pesto and Quinoa Stuffed Mushrooms for an appetizer. There are countless ways to pair pesto and your blender opens the door to new creative possibilities.

HOW LONG DOES HOMEMADE PESTO LAST?

Once prepared, pesto can last up to two days in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container. If you've made a larger batch than needed, you can also store the pesto in the freezer for up to around 3 months. Pesto will darken over time.

HOW DO I STORE PESTO?

To store pesto in the refrigerator, transfer it to an airtight container and pour a thin layer of olive oil over the surface or press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pesto to prevent browning. 

If you want to freeze your pesto, transfer it into an ice cube tray to create individually portioned pesto cubes that you can toss into a skillet with fresh pasta or use to sauté vegetables. Cover the ice cube tray to avoid the absorption of odors from your freezer.

EXPLORE KITCHENAID® BLENDERS

KitchenAid® blenders can help you experiment with new sauce recipes, create satisfying desserts or take your salads to the next level with homemade dressing. With features on select models like the Intelli-Speed® Motor Control that maintains the optimal speed to power through tough ingredients like almonds and kale, you can blend a variety of recipes into a smooth and consistent texture. 

DISCOVER MORE BLENDER POSSIBILITIES WITH KITCHENAID BRAND