How to Freeze Pesto

Fresh pesto is a delicious option during the summer months when basil it at its best. But there's no reason you can't enjoy a delicious pesto dish any time of year! The key to making the most of a fresh basil crop is preparing your pesto ahead of time and storing it until you're ready to enjoy it. When you learn how to freeze pesto, you can have fresh pesto at your fingertips any time you want it!

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What Do I Need to Freeze Pesto?

Making frozen pesto cubes is a great way to preserve this delicious sauce for future use. But before you can pour your pesto in ice cube trays, you'll need to make the sauce! To prepare fresh pesto, you'll need:

• Fresh basil leaves
• Almonds
• Garlic cloves
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Grated parmesan cheese
• Sea salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper

You will also need:

• Food processor
• Ice cube tray 

Looking for other great recipes to try? Check out these reader favorites here:

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How Do I Freeze Pesto?

Enjoying fresh pesto anytime of year is easy when you learn how to freeze pesto! Luckily, creating pesto cubes is a pretty easy process. Just follow these three simple steps:

Step One: Prepare the Pesto

To make homemade pesto, grab your food processor. Add the fresh basil, almonds, and garlic cloves to the bowl of the food processor and process the ingredients until everything is finely minced. After that, keep the processor running and slowly add the olive oil to the mixer. Continue processing until the ingredients are fully combined. Next, remove the blade from the bowl and stir in the parmesan cheese, sea salt, and black pepper.

Step Two: Freeze the Pesto

Spoon the prepared pesto into an ice cube tray. When the tray is full, place it in the freezer and freeze for six hours, until the cubes are frozen solid.

Step Three: Store the Pesto

After the pesto cubes are fully frozen, pop them out of the ice cube tray and transfer them to a freezer bag or freezer safe container.

What are the Best Nuts for Pesto?

Traditional pesto is made with pine nuts, but that nut variety isn't always easy to find. If you're looking for different nut options to consider when making your own homemade pesto, there are a few good substitutes for classic pine nuts. Try these different nut and seed varieties to see which option tastes best to you:

• Almonds, as used in this recipe
• Walnuts
• Pecans
• Macadamia nuts
• Peanuts
• Pistachios
• Sunflower seeds
• Pumpkin seeds
• Sesame seeds

Can Pesto Go in the Freezer?

Pesto is one of the most freezer-friendly sauces you can make! That's because it's made with a variety of delicious fresh ingredients that can go directly in the freezer without the need for cooking. And since there are several ways to store your pesto in the freezer, you'll have your choice of storage options based on how you plan to use the sauce in the future.

What is the Best Way to Freeze Pesto?

The method you use to freeze your pesto will depend on how you want to use the sauce. If you plan on using your pesto as a pasta sauce, it's best to freeze it in big batches. But if you think you'll want to use the pesto to add flavoring to your dish, freezing it in small batches is a great idea.

To freeze a full batch of pesto, prepare the sauce according to the recipe and transfer it to a freezer-safe container. The pesto can be stored in a freezer bag and stored flat in the freezer to save space. Or you can store the sauce in a glass jar or airtight plastic container.

But if you want to store your pesto in small batches to add pesto flavoring to your dishes, just use your ice cube tray. Once the sauce is fully frozen, you can transfer the pesto cubes to a freezer bag for easy storage.

How to Thaw Frozen Pesto

When you're ready to use your pesto, you have a few options available to you. If you plan to use your pesto cubes to add fresh flavor to a dish, simply toss the ice cube in the pan with whatever you're cooking.

Another option is to thaw the pesto cubes to use them as a sauce, spread, or dip. If you have time, the best way to thaw your frozen pesto is to transfer it to the refrigerator. But if you're short on time, simply place the pesto cubes in a microwave safe dish and thaw them using the defrost setting on your microwave.

Will Frozen Pesto Turn Brown?

Since pesto is made with fresh, leafy greens, there is a possibility that it will turn brown while it's freezing. While the pesto is still good, even if it's brown, it doesn't look very appetizing!

There are a couple of ways you can prevent your pesto from turning brown in the freezer. The key to keeping your pesto green is to prevent air from coming into contact with the basil in the freezer. One simple way to do this is to cover the ice cube container with plastic wrap before freezing it. Or simply add a few drops of additional olive oil to the top of each cube before freezing.

How Long Does Pesto Last in the Freezer?

Once your pesto sauce is frozen solid, it will stay good for up to six months. To ensure you don't let your fresh pesto go bad in the freezer, make sure to store it in an airtight container. And don't forget to write the date of freezing and expiration date on the bag so you know exactly when you need to use up the frozen pesto.