Ultimate Vibrant Basil Pesto Recipe (That Stays Bright Green)

Basil is abundant right now, and when it is, this is the first thing I make.

A proper pesto should be bright, fresh and glossy. It should smell of good olive oil and real Parmesan. It should feel generous when you spoon it from the bowl.

This Ultimate Vibrant Basil Pesto Recipe is the one I return to every summer. It is simple, but two small details change everything.

How to Keep Basil Pesto Bright Green

If you’ve ever made pesto that turned a little dark or dull, this technique will help.

Before blending, soak your basil leaves briefly in iced water. This cleans them beautifully and helps preserve that vibrant green colour. Drain thoroughly and squeeze completely dry before using.

It is a small step. It makes a noticeable difference.

The second detail comes when you serve it with pasta. Always reserve some of your pasta cooking water. That starchy water turns pesto from thick and clumpy into silky and beautifully coated. I share more about this in my pesto pasta recipe here.

Once you know these two things, pesto becomes both vibrant & more delicious.

A Proper Basil Pesto

This is a classic Genovese-style pesto using basil, nuts, parmesan, garlic and good extra virgin olive oil.

You will find the full ingredient list and step-by-step method in the recipe card below.

A few notes before you begin:

• Toasting the nuts deepens the flavour.

• Use freshly cracked black pepper.

• Parmigiano Reggiano gives the cleanest flavour, but a good quality parmesan works well.

• Pour the olive oil in slowly while blending so the pesto emulsifies properly.

The texture should be smooth but not soupy. Spoonable. Fragrant.

How I Use This Ultimate Vibrant Basil Pesto Recipe

• Stir through hot pasta with reserved cooking water

Go a step further and no wmake a delicious pesto pasta salad lunches and dinners (I like to add):

A handful of rocket (or spinach) leaves
200 g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 lemon, zest of 1 lemon and juice of half a lemon
A handful of pitted olives
400 g tin chickpeas, rinsed well and strained  

• Spoon over grilled vegetables

• Spread onto sourdough before adding burrata (AMAZING!!!)

If you’re specifically looking for pasta instructions, I’ve written a separate post:
Silky Pesto Pasta Using Fresh Basil Pesto

With what shall I blitz with, dear Nellie?

If you don’t have a food processor, you can make pesto in a Nutribullet or blender or stick blender. If using one of these -Place all ingredients (including oil) in a bowl. Blitz with hand held blender until smooth.

Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days. A thin layer of olive oil over the surface helps maintain colour.

It freezes well too – for up to three months.

A Gentle Invitation

If you enjoy understanding why a recipe works — not just following steps — you would feel very at home inside the Relish Mama Cooking Club. We build confidence through foundations like this.

You can explore the Club here.

With love,

Nellie
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Ultimate Vibrant Basil Pesto Recipe

Ultimate vibrant basil pesto recipe

This Ultimate Vibrant Basil Pesto Recipe stays bright green and beautifully silky every time. A simple iced water trick and good olive oil make all the difference. Perfect stirred through pasta, spooned over vegetables or spread onto warm sourdough.

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Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: Mediterranean, Italian

Diet: Vegetarian, Gluten Free

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes

Servings: 1 cup

Calories: 1355kcal

Author: Nellie Kerrison | Relish Mama

Cost: $10

Equipment

• Food processor (or high-speed blender / stick blender)
• Small frying pan (for toasting nuts)
• Medium mixing bowl (for iced water soak)
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Spatula

Ingredients

• 2 cups of basil or use half basil and half baby spinach
• 2 tbsp pine nuts or cashews or almonds or pepitas
• 1 garlic clove
• Pinch of coarse sea salt
• Six twists of freshly cracked black pepper
• 50 g parmigiano Reggiano or good quality parmesan of your choice
• 125 ml 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• A few ice cubes

Instructions

• Place the basil in a medium size bowl of water and add a few cubes of ice. This helps to clean the leaves as well as helps to keep your pesto a more vibrant green. Be sure to squeeze out all of the water after this initial cleaning / soaking time.
• Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan (no oil) over medium heat until they are a light golden brown. Tossing often to ensure they do not burn.
• Place all of the pesto ingredients in a food processor, with the exception of the extra virgin olive oil. Blitz well, to combine. Slowly pour the oil down through the lid, with the motor running, until a smooth consistency is reached. Season with sea salt & freshly cracked black pepper, to taste.

Notes

Note – If you don’t have a food processor, you can make pesto in a nutri bullit or blender or stick blender. If using one of these -Place all ingredients (including oil) in a bowl. Blitz with hand held blender until smooth.

Storage – store, in a covered container, in the fridge for 3-4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 1355kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 141g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 19g | Monounsaturated Fat: 91g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 806mg | Potassium: 320mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 2929IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 687mg | Iron: 4mg