• Home
  • About
  • Entertaining
  • Recipes
  • Tablescapes
  • Shop My Favorites
  • Gigi Bean Blog
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

Joy In Every Season

July 14, 2015 · 33 Comments

Basil Pesto (make it and freeze it)

Please share on your favorite social channel!

867 shares
Jump to Recipe -

Is your garden overflowing with fresh basil? Or maybe you have a farmer’s market near you? Either way, making pesto is quick, easy, delicious, and perfect to make ahead and freeze. I love making big batches of my Basil Pesto (make it and freeze it)! Dig through my freezer and I’m sure you’ll find multiple zip-locks bags full of pesto cubes. Yep, cubes!  Doesn’t your pesto come in cubes? It will if you freeze it in ice cube trays!!

Basil Pesto

I just love going out into my little garden and picking fresh veggies. And basil is one of my favorites!

I’ve been using this Basil Pesto recipe for about a gazillion years now. Maybe, 15-20 years, but that’s still a lot of pesto! It’s basic, but I’ll continue to use it because I love it. I did recently make a Zesty Avocado Pesto that was out of this world delicious, but it won’t replace the basic.

Especially during basil growing season, I always make sure to have the other ingredients on hand: good olive oil, pine nuts, fresh garlic, salt, pepper, and fresh parmesan. Making pesto is as simple as combining all the ingredients in a food processor and letting it run for a few minutes. It’s seriously so simple, that there is no reason to ever buy pesto again!

Basil Pesto-1

Basil Pesto-2After the pesto is made, simply fill an ice cube tray (or 2 or 3) full of pesto and place in the freezer. A few hours later, pop the frozen cubes of pesto out and place in freezer zip lock baggies. I continue to make the pesto all season long, as it seems I can never have enough on hand. We love pesto on hot pasta, on garlic bread, in cold pasta salads, in scrambled eggs, and on sandwiches. What is your favorite use for pesto??

Basil PestoJust look at those little frozen cubes of pesto goodness!! Take out a little or a lot and quickly add them to your favorite pesto meal!!!! There’s nothing better than Basil Pesto (make it and freeze it) available to use all year long!

Basil Pesto

When your garden is full of pesto, you’ll want to have this recipe on hand, so go ahead and Pin it!
Basil Pesto

 

Basil Pesto
Print Pin
5 from 15 votes

Basil Pesto

Author Joy in Every Season

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh picked basil leaves
  • 3 large cloves garlic
  • 3/4 cup pine nuts
  • 3/4 cup good olive oil
  • 3/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese not the stuff in the green can
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper

Instructions

  • Place basil, garlic, nuts, and olive oil in food processor fitted with a metal blade.
  • Process until fairly smooth, wiping down sides once or twice if needed.
  • Add cheese, salt, and pepper and give it a quick whirl to mix.
  • Use immediately or freeze in ice cube trays.
  • Once frozen, pop them out and place into freezer zip-lock bags (date the bag w/sharpie).

If you love pesto half as much as I do, you’ll want to try a few more of these recipes!

Zesty Avocado Pesto Zesty Avocado Pesto

Caprese Avocado Pesto Pasta Caprese Avocado Pesto Pasta

Pesto Caprese Bread

Please share on your favorite social channel!

867 shares
« Cornbread
Watermelon Lime Popsicles »

Comments

  1. Catherine says

    July 15, 2015 at 4:05 am

    Dear Renee, homemade pesto is one of my favorite ways to enjoy summer basil. I have lots of basil this year. I love the idea of freezing it in the ice tray. xo, Catherine

    Reply
  2. Manila Spoon says

    August 4, 2015 at 1:53 pm

    5 stars
    I love homemade pesto and it’s such a wonderful idea to freeze it in cubes – that way you can enjoy pesto goodness every time! Love this!

    Reply
  3. Lane & Holly @ With Two Spoons says

    July 13, 2016 at 8:37 pm

    I LOVE pesto! I often freeze it in 4oz jars, they stack nicely in my freezer. It’s perfect to pull out in the dead of winter!

    Reply
    • Barbara says

      May 11, 2019 at 6:20 am

      How long does it “last” in the freezer? I’ve heard all sorts of answers. I’ve got my jars!

      Reply
      • Laura says

        September 2, 2020 at 6:19 pm

        5 stars
        For me about six months or they can freezer burn

        Reply
  4. Megan @ MegUnprocessed says

    July 14, 2016 at 3:24 pm

    Nothing beats homemade pesto!

    Reply
  5. Anna @annaDishes says

    July 17, 2016 at 11:20 am

    Great post! I love pesto!

    Reply
  6. Michelle | A Dish of Daily Life says

    August 4, 2016 at 10:22 pm

    Every year I say I am going to freeze my pesto like this, and I never do it! What is wrong with me?! I do freeze it, just in jars and containers. But this is perfect for when you just want a little bit, like for a sandwich. We have tons of basil…I need to get going on this now!

    Reply
  7. Debra says

    May 20, 2020 at 8:01 am

    how long will it last in the fridge or freezer?

    Reply
  8. Heather says

    July 15, 2020 at 11:15 am

    5 stars
    Great pesto recipe .. thank you. Another way to freeze it is on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. When you spread it out put another piece of parchment loosely on top. When it has frozen you can break it up into bits and freeze in ziploc bags. This way if a cube is more than you need you can decide what size you need.

    Reply
  9. Irina says

    October 16, 2020 at 10:40 am

    5 stars
    Hi Renee,
    Silly question, but still: when you use frozen pesto cubes for sandwiches or cold pasta, how long do you thaw the cubes in the fridge? Thank you!

    Reply
  10. Wendy Holmdahl says

    November 10, 2020 at 7:01 am

    5 stars
    I want to thank you so much for this recipe – it was simple to follow and tastes amazing! I made about 6 batches before my basil froze this fall and it’s been a delightful reminder of summer now that we have snow on the ground. Thank you!!

    Reply
  11. Susan K says

    May 30, 2021 at 12:03 pm

    5 stars
    Easy Peasy. We had purchased fresh basil at the store to make basil chicken and had a lot of the fresh basil left over. Your recipe was perfect! Made it just now and put it in the ice cube tray and now it’s in the freezer. :-). Gave a husband a taste before it when into the tray and he said perfect! I can’t wait to use the pesto later in the year. Thanks for your recipe!

    Reply
    • Susan K. says

      May 30, 2021 at 12:07 pm

      5 stars
      My recipe rating should be 5 stars! I don’t know why it only showed 3 stars. I hope you can fix it!

      Reply
  12. Pam says

    September 7, 2021 at 3:51 am

    My husband is allergic to pine nuts. What other nut would work to substitute? Got lots of basil so would love to try this.

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      October 12, 2021 at 2:50 pm

      I like using walnuts instead of pine nuts

      Reply
      • Kimberly says

        February 23, 2022 at 8:07 am

        5 stars
        I made mine with a little bit of bread crumbs to replace the nuts since I can’t have nuts. Came out great!

        Reply
      • Kim says

        February 23, 2022 at 8:08 am

        5 stars
        I made mine with a little bit of bread crumbs to replace the nuts since I can’t have nuts. Came out great!

        Reply
      • Patricia says

        August 19, 2023 at 1:35 pm

        5 stars
        I’ve been doing this for several years now, using ice cube trays and it’s great! I love to use walnuts as they are a much better fat and less expensive than pine nuts.

        Reply
  13. Carl says

    November 19, 2021 at 7:16 pm

    Love the recipe but I don’t put the cheese since it can ruin the process

    Reply
    • Patricia says

      August 19, 2023 at 1:38 pm

      5 stars
      Carl, I thought that too, at first, but it doesn’t. My pesto turns out great when I add the cheese into the recipe before freezing.

      Reply
  14. Michelle Carter says

    November 12, 2022 at 12:01 pm

    Made this and yum. So much basil from the garden, substituted walnuts for pine nuts and was just as good.

    Reply
  15. Jed says

    September 8, 2023 at 8:47 am

    Is there a trick to getting them out of the ice cube tray? Mine won’t budge. Also, another great way to use it is on top of a baked potato.

    Reply
  16. CA says

    October 15, 2023 at 7:15 am

    5 stars
    Great recipe! I do an extra step- I Blanche my basil for 3 seconds and then put in an ice bath. Then I put through a salad spinner to dry. . I do this to keep the basil from turning black.

    Reply
  17. Liz says

    October 26, 2023 at 3:48 pm

    Should I wash the basil first?

    Reply
  18. ROMELLE M PETERSON says

    July 20, 2024 at 9:42 am

    5 stars
    Fabulous!! I line the ice cube tray with either parchment paper, saran wrap or wax paper, depending on what I have on hand. Pesto cubes come out perfectly every time!!

    Reply
  19. T Posey says

    September 4, 2024 at 8:55 am

    5 stars
    Excellent ! Thanks so much for the recipe ❤️

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Grilled Pesto Shrimp - Joy In Every Season says:
    May 1, 2017 at 2:00 pm

    […] Basil Pesto (Make it and freeze it) […]

    Reply
  2. Meal Ideas for Busy Moms (been there, done that) - Joy In Every Season says:
    April 9, 2018 at 2:47 pm

    […] the summer, when your garden is abundant and you have a lot of fresh basil, make Pesto. Make a lot of it! I make it and freeze it in ice cube trays. Once frozen I place the pesto cubes […]

    Reply
  3. Meal Ideas for Busy Moms - Joy In Every Season says:
    April 9, 2018 at 2:50 pm

    […] the summer, when your garden is abundant and you have a lot of fresh basil, make Pesto. Make a lot of it! I make it and freeze it in ice cube trays. Once frozen I place the pesto cubes […]

    Reply
  4. Basil-Pea-Walnut Pesto – Weekend Porridge Bowl says:
    May 24, 2018 at 3:56 pm

    […] those who enjoy meal prep, freeze the pesto in ice cube trays. See this blog for an […]

    Reply
  5. Weekly Meal Ideas #1 - Joy In Every Season says:
    August 14, 2022 at 10:03 am

    […] Get the recipe here: Homemade Pesto […]

    Reply
  6. 12 Things I Always Freeze After Harvest to Keep Fresh Longer - Wildstead Way says:
    June 22, 2025 at 2:12 pm

    […] After freezing, pop the cubes into a sealed container or bag to save space. Covering the pesto with a little olive oil helps keep it fresh and prevents freezer burn. For a simple method, check out how others use ice cube trays for pesto storage here. […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hi, I'm Renee. Welcome to Joy in Every Season. I’ve always loved entertaining, whether it’s hosting a party, a large family BBQ, or simply a dinner for two. I believe that hospitality and entertaining can be effortless with easy recipes and simple tablescapes. Read More…

SUBSCRIBE TO MY MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

Instagram

This error message is only visible to WordPress admins

Error: No connected account.

Please go to the Instagram Feed settings page to connect an account.

Copyright © 2025 · Joy In Every Season · Privacy Policy · Log in