If you find yourself with a glut of basil, or happen to be gifted a large bouquet of it (in my case), one of the best ways to preserve that intense, fragrant flavor is to make a big batch of basil pesto. I like to make lots of pesto all summer long when good basil is available and really enjoy it while it lasts. The fragrant, slightly licorice-like basil paired with sharp, nutty cheese, tender pine nuts, garlic, and plenty of extra virgin olive oil is like nothing else.
This version is a big batch, like very big, it’s about 20 servings of pesto? But it gets stored and frozen to last for a while, and around here it will get eaten. This is definitely one for pesto lovers, you know who you are, the ones who put pesto on everything.
This recipe relies mainly on weigh measures since “a cup of basil” is the most arbitrary measure I can imagine and when you scale up, it gets even more unclear how much to use. I’ve given you my exact measurements and what I think is the perfect ratio of ingredients, but feel free to adjust to your taste.
The fragrant, slightly licorice-like basil paired with sharp, nutty cheese, tender pine nuts, garlic, and plenty of extra virgin olive oil is like nothing else.
Ingredients for Big Batch Basil Pesto
I’ve given you my exact measurements and what I think is the perfect ratio of ingredients, but feel free to adjust to your taste.
- 190 g basil (~7 cups packed basil) – Washed and Dried
- 32 g garlic (~7 cloves)
- 100 g pine nuts (~10 1/2 tbsp) – I did not toast the pine nuts for this. I like the texture of the raw nuts. If you want to toast them, go for it, just make sure to let them fully cool before making the pesto.
- 205 g Parmesan (1 3/4 cup) grated – This recipe uses a good amount of Parmesan, it adds so much flavor and texture. Feel free to adjust depending on your preference.
- 80 g Pecorino Romano (~7 tbsp) grated
- 370 g olive oil (~1 3/4 cups )
- Salt – to taste
Step-by-Step: How to Make A Big Batch of Basil Pesto
- Process your garlic
In a food processor, pulse the garlic until finely chopped. Scrape down the sides of the blender to make sure all the garlic is well chopped. - Add the pine nuts
Add the pine nuts to the garlic and process until the mixture has a fine, sandy texture. Scrape down the sides again. - Blend The Basil and Oil
Add in basil and oil. Process until blended but still with some texture, or keep blending for a super smooth pesto, I like some texture to mine. Do what you like. - Mix in The Cheese
Transfer the pesto to a large bowl and stir in the Parmesan and Pecorino.
Note: You can add the cheese directly to the food processor if it fits, but I prefer mixing it in by hand for better texture. - Season and adjust
Taste and add salt if you need it.
Storing & Freezing Basil Pesto
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container with a thin layer of olive oil on top to prevent oxidation. Keeps for about 5–7 days.
- Freezer: Portion into small containers or freezer bags.
If using containers, top with a thin layer of olive oil to seal the top and avoid oxidation.
If using freezer bags, lay them flat for space-saving storage and faster thawing. - To Thaw: Let thaw in the fridge or at room temperature. Avoid heating directly — it’ll change the flavor and texture, and cause it to darken.
Pesto Ratio: How Much Basil for Pesto
This recipe follows an easy ratio by weight: for every 1 part basil, use 2 parts olive oil, 1½ parts grated cheese (Parmesan and Pecorino combined), ½ part pine nuts and about ⅙ part garlic. Salt to taste. Weighing your ingredients makes it easy to scale the recipe up for the freezer or down for a single dinner.
The full batch makes just under 1 kg (about 4 cups) of pesto, enough for roughly 6 to 8 pounds of pasta at ½ to ⅔ cup per pound.
Small Batch Pesto (for 1 pound of pasta)
You can use the recipe card below and adjust the servings you need. Below is what you need for a smaller batch, that will be enough for a pound of pasta.
- Basil – 30g (about 1 cup packed)
- Garlic – 5g (1 clove)
- Pine nuts – 16g (about 1¾ tbsp)
- Parmesan – 32g (about ¼ cup grated)
- Pecorino Romano – 13g (about 1 tbsp grated)
- Olive oil – 58g (about ¼ cup)
- Salt – to taste
FAQs
What’s the difference between basil pesto and pesto Genovese?
Pesto Genovese (pesto alla genovese) is the traditional Italian version from Genoa, made with basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, Pecorino, and olive oil. This recipe is in that style, just scaled up for large batches.
Can I use walnuts instead of pine nuts?
Sure! Walnuts are a great substitute and more budget-friendly. The flavor will be slightly different but still delicious. You can also swap in almonds for another variation.
How long does homemade basil pesto last in the fridge?
Stored in an airtight container with a thin oil layer, it lasts about a week.
Can you freeze pesto with cheese in it?
I do! This recipe freezes beautifully, cheese included. If you’re worried about it, you can make the full recipe and omit the cheese, then add it in later, right before eating.
Why use weight instead of cups or a volumetric measure for the basil?
Basil is fluffy, so a “cup” could be loosely packed or tightly packed, you’ll get pretty inconsistent results. Weight gives you precision.
More Recipes to try:
Pesto Pasta Salad – My go-to summer pasta salad made with basil pesto, fresh mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, and toasted pine nuts.
Pesto Rosso (Sun-dried Tomato Pesto) – Rich, savory, and slightly sweet, this Sicilian-inspired red pesto is full of flavor. Made with sun-dried tomatoes, almonds, Parmesan, garlic, basil, and olive oil.
Pistachio Pesto – A recipe for pistachio pesto with basil and mint. A Sicilian pesto that’s full of flavor and goes great on just about everything.
Homemade Pasta – Your guide to making fresh pasta at home. This is a egg based pasta dough perfect for fresh tagliatelle, papardelle, lasagna or agnolotti.
Caramelized Onion Pasta – One of the simplest and most satisfying pasta dishes. Fried caramelized onions get tossed with spaghetti and topped with lots of Parmesan cheese.
Trofie al Pesto – How to make trofie al pesto: a classic Ligurian dish featuring hand-rolled pasta tossed in vibrant, homemade basil pesto.
Cherry Tomato Butter Sauce – A simple, silky tomato sauce made with just a handful of ingredients. Rich from butter, naturally sweet from cherry tomatoes, and perfect for tossing with your favorite pasta.
Ragu Bianco (White Bolognese Sauce) – A delicious tomato-free version of classic Bolognese, this ragu bianco is simmered slowly and made with pancetta, beef, pork, and lots of fresh rosemary and sage.
Did you try this Big Batch Basil Pesto recipe?
Leave a rating and comment below—or tag @TheMostHungry on Instagram. I can’t wait to see it!
Big Batch Basil Pasto
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
- 190 g basil ~7 cups packed basil, washed and dried
- 32 g garlic ~7 cloves
- 100 g pine nuts ~10 1/2 tbsp
- 205 g Parmesan ~1 3/4 cup grated
- 80 g Pecorino Romano ~7 tbsp grated
- 370 g olive oil ~1 3/4 cup
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse the garlic until finely chopped. Scrape down the sides of the blender to make sure all the garlic is well chopped.
- Add the pine nuts to the garlic and process until the mixture has a fine, sandy texture. Scrape down the sides again.
- Add in basil and oil. Process until blended but still with some texture, or keep blending for a super smooth pesto, I like some texture to mine. Do what you like.
- Transfer the pesto to a large bowl and stir in the Parmesan and Pecorino.Note: You can add the cheese directly to the food processor if it fits, but I prefer mixing it in by hand for better texture.
- Taste and add salt if you need it.
Video
Notes
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Hi, I'm Rachel — the cook, photographer, and recipe developer behind Most Hungry.
This is my go-to spot for bold, approachable recipes rooted in Italian and Italian-American cooking, from hand-rolled fresh pasta to fall-off-the-bone ribs. Great food should be fun, doable, and absolutely delicious. Learn more about me →
8 thoughts on Big Batch Basil Pesto
Perfect for any pasta.
Looks delish and seems easy to prepare. Will go well with many pastas.
Thank you! Have been looking for a pesto recipe by weight instead of inconsistent cups. Have a huge batch to get through today. Besides the fact that pine nuts are more expensive, I don’t care for them. I use walnuts instead. Again, thank you for taking the guess work out of this.
This was amazing fresh – the first time we’ve made Pesto from scratch, and we used good parmesan (but didn’t have the pecorino, so used a bit more parmesan). We froze the rest and hope it will be even half as good, as that would be much better than any store bought pesto.
So glad you liked it! I love having a stash of frozen pesto ready whenever I need it. Really hope you’re enjoying it!
Followed the recipe to the ‘T’ and even used a scale! It was fun to make and way too delicious! On pasta and dipped Sacone’s Italian bread into it! Perfect!
So glad you liked it!
I think it’s a great recipe to follow the proportions. I did use 7 cups of basil leaves (fresh from my Italian friend’s garden), the 7 cloves of garlic and 1.5 olive oil but I subbed toasted almonds and walnuts for the pine nuts (that part varied). Just the same, it was very delicious. I also stirred in the freshly grated parm at the end as suggested. Thank you for the guidelines of a really nice pesto. Now that I have it, I shall have to try your pesto chicken recipe.