How to Customize Your Pesto With an Easy Formula

Recently, one of my college-aged boys mentioned having a surprisingly good pesto-chicken pizza at one of the university’s food halls. I couldn’t get the idea out of my mind, so I whipped up a batch of dough, grabbed some leftover rotisserie chicken, raided my backyard basil plants, and made a quick homemade pesto. The resulting pizza was beyond fabulous.

The next week, I wanted the same thing again, but my basil plants hadn’t grown enough new leaves. Instead of buying fresh basil, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to use a store-bought jar of pesto. I was wrong. That pizza was a big ol’ dud, did not scratch the itch, was nowhere near as good as the previous one. It lacked the vibrancy and punch that my homemade pesto added.

Lesson learned: It is always worth it to make your own pesto. The flavor is worlds above jarred — fresher, richer, livelier, and deeper — and it’s one of the more foolproof recipes you can make. While a classic pesto Genovese calls for fresh basil, toasted pine nuts, and a combination of Parmigiano-Reggiano and pecorino Romano cheese, there are so many other routes you can take. 

The formula for any kind of pesto 

Using this pesto Genovese recipe from chefs Jody Williams and Rita Sodi as a guide, this formula will work with whatever ingredients you have on hand: 

• 1 large garlic clove
• 1/4 cup toasted nuts or seeds
• 3 cups packed soft herbs or leafy greens
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 ounces grated hard cheese
• 1/2 cup oil 

You could go the elbow-grease route by making your pesto in a mortar and pestle. Pound the garlic to a paste, crush the nuts or seeds in, then gradually break down the herbs or greens a handful at a time with a pinch of salt to add friction. Work in the cheese, then gradually drizzle in the oil while stirring with the pestle.

If you don’t have a mortar and pestle (or don’t have the energy for it), a food processor works great. I like to process the garlic first so that I can see it get evenly minced, then I pulse in the nuts, followed by the herbs or greens, cheese, and salt. Finally, I drizzle in the oil as the processor’s blades work to emulsify the mixture.

Think beyond pesto Genovese, and vary the flavor by incorporating different soft herbs or leafy greens, such as parsley, cilantro, spinach, kale, dill, arugula, or sorrel. Swap the usual pine nuts for any kind of nut or seed — think walnuts, pepitas, sunflower seeds, almonds, or pistachios.

Beyond that, you can try other hard cheeses (aged Manchego or Asiago for starters) and other oils (from mild avocado to a splash of toasted sesame). Use the amounts listed above in the formula. Keep the garlic and salt as your constants, but play around with the other ingredients. You can change up just the herb, nut, cheese, or oil — or swap out all or just a couple of those elements.

Feel free to add a splash of lemon or lime juice, or some of the citrus’s zest. Sprinkle in some chile flakes, or add a dollop of chili crisp — whatever floats your boat. So long as you’re starting with fresh herbs or leaves, you’re well on your way to a killer sauce for pizza, pasta, grilled meats, bruschetta, burgers, dogs, and salads.