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Italian, Genoa / Liguria cuisineSauce

Pesto alla genovese

Traditional seven-ingredient pesto Genovese made with basil, extra-virgin olive oil, Parmigiano, Pecorino, pine nuts, garlic and coarse salt.

Pasta coated in pesto alla genovese with fresh basil leaves
25 minutesPrep
0 minutesCook
25 minutesTotal
About 250 g pesto, enough for 600 g pastaYield

About Pesto alla genovese

Pesto Genovese is a raw sauce, so there is no cooking stage to correct mistakes. The flavour depends directly on fresh basil, balanced garlic, good olive oil and the way the ingredients are crushed. Excess heat or prolonged mechanical cutting dulls the green colour and can make the basil taste harsh.

The Consorzio del Pesto Genovese identifies seven traditional ingredients: Basilico Genovese DOP, extra-virgin olive oil, Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano, Pecorino DOP such as Fiore Sardo, pine nuts, garlic and coarse salt. The published quantity is designed to dress about 600 g pasta.

The traditional tool is a marble mortar with a wooden pestle. Garlic and salt are crushed first, then pine nuts. Basil is added gradually and worked with a rotating motion against the side of the mortar rather than hammered vertically into a hot paste.

Cheese goes in after the basil has broken down, and olive oil is worked in last. That order keeps the sauce textured rather than oily and reduces the time the basil spends under pressure.

Pesto should not be heated in a pan. When dressing pasta, loosen it with a little warm unsalted pasta water away from direct heat. The sauce should coat the pasta while retaining its fresh basil aroma.

Technique

Three things that matter

  • Work cool and quickly. Heat is the enemy of fresh basil aroma and colour. Keep the mortar cool and do not grind longer than necessary.
  • Crush in the traditional sequence. Garlic and salt first, then pine nuts, basil, cheeses and finally oil. The order creates a stable textured paste.
  • Never fry the finished pesto. Loosen it with warm pasta water off the heat rather than cooking the sauce.

Ingredients

Recipe card

Pesto alla genovese

Yield6
Preparation: 25 mTotal time: 25 m

Pesto

Equipment

Marble mortar traditional tool and useful thermal mass
Wooden pestle for crushing without metal blades
Clean kitchen towel or salad spinner to dry basil completely
Fine grater for both cheeses
Small silicone spatula for scraping the mortar without wasting sauce

Method

Prepare the basil

01Wash and dry the leaves.

Rinse the basil briefly in cold water and dry it completely without crushing the leaves. Residual water thins the pesto and accelerates bruising.

02Cool the working tools if necessary.

If the kitchen is hot, rinse the mortar with cold water and dry it thoroughly before starting.

Build the pesto in the mortar

03Crush garlic and salt.

Put the garlic and coarse salt in the mortar and grind until they form a smooth paste.

04Add the pine nuts.

Crush the pine nuts into the garlic paste until creamy.

05Work in the basil gradually.

Add basil leaves in small handfuls. Rotate the pestle against the mortar wall, pressing and turning until the leaves break down into a fragrant green paste.

Stop as soon as the basil is fully crushed; prolonged grinding warms and darkens it.

06Add the cheeses.

Work in the Parmigiano and Pecorino until evenly distributed.

07Emulsify with olive oil.

Pour in the olive oil gradually while stirring and pressing gently until the sauce is cohesive but still textured.

Use without cooking

08Loosen for pasta service.

For pasta, mix the pesto with a small amount of warm pasta water off the heat, then toss with the drained pasta. Do not fry or simmer the pesto.

Practical guidance

Practical guidance

Blender adaptation

A blender is convenient but not identical to mortar work. If used, chill the cup and blade, pulse very briefly and stop before the mixture heats.

Basil selection

Young small Genovese basil leaves are gentler and less minty than many large-leaf supermarket varieties.

Storage

Press a thin film of olive oil over pesto, cover tightly and refrigerate. Fresh pesto is best within 1–2 days.

Freezing

Freeze small portions promptly if longer storage is needed. Thaw in the refrigerator and stir before use; do not boil after thawing.

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting

  • The pesto turns dark. The basil was bruised too long, the tools were warm or the leaves were wet. Work cooler and faster next time.
  • The garlic dominates. The cloves were too large or strong. Use small mild cloves while preserving the traditional presence of garlic.
  • The sauce feels oily and split. The oil was added too quickly or the dry paste was insufficiently developed. Add oil gradually after the basil and cheeses are fully incorporated.
  • The pesto tastes bitter. Overheated basil, aggressive high-speed blending or a very bitter olive oil can all contribute. Keep the process cool and use a balanced oil.
Nutrition per serving

Nutrition per serving

  • Serving size: about 40 g pesto
  • Calories: approximately 250 kcal
  • Carbohydrates: 2 g
  • Protein: 6 g
  • Fat: 25 g
  • Fibre: 1 g
  • Sodium: approximately 260 mg

Estimate for roughly one-sixth of the batch, excluding pasta.

Allergens and food safety

Allergens and food safety

Contains milk and pine nuts/tree-nut-related allergen declarations may apply depending on local labelling rules.

Keep basil and finished pesto refrigerated when not in immediate use.

Use clean dry utensils to reduce contamination because the sauce is not cooked after preparation.

FAQ

FAQ

What are the seven traditional pesto ingredients?

Genovese basil, extra-virgin olive oil, Parmigiano or Grana Padano, Pecorino DOP, pine nuts, garlic and coarse salt.

Is a food processor authentic?

The traditional consortium method specifies a marble mortar and wooden pestle. A processor is a practical adaptation.

Should pesto be heated?

No. Loosen it off the heat with a little pasta water and toss with hot pasta.

Why use two cheeses?

Parmigiano provides sweetness and body while Pecorino adds sharper salt and sheep-milk character; the combination is part of the consortium formula.

Final note

What matters most

  • Result: A fragrant textured green sauce in which basil remains fresh, garlic stays present but controlled and the two cheeses round out the olive oil.
  • Key: Keep everything cool, follow the mortar sequence and never cook the finished pesto.
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