Frugal Homemade Pesto (with Secret Ingredient)

4.73 from 51 votes

Make this easy homemade pesto recipe that tastes amazing and uses a secret alternative to expensive pine nuts that we like even better!

Prep Time30

Total Time30

Course: Condiments

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 1/4 cups

Calories: 31kcal

6 cloves garlic peeled
1/4 cup sunflower seeds*
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
2 ½ cups packed basil leaves washed and dried
1 tablespoon lemon juice for freezing to keep pesto a brighter green after opening
3/4 to 1 cup olive oil plus more if freezing

Pulse garlic in a food processor until minced. Add seeds, cheese, and salt. Pulse a few times to chop, and then add the basil and continue to process until most is chopped (it's okay if not all is chopped - it will mince as the oil is added). Add lemon juice now, if using.
With the machine running, add the oil in a fine stream. Process until pesto is smooth. Adjust salt to taste, if needed (less will be needed if using salted sunflower seeds).
To store in the freezer: pour about a 1/2 cup of pesto into freezer-safe containers, add a shallow layer of olive oil to cover the tops (leaving at least a 1-inch headspace for expansion), attach lids, label with date and freeze.

*I use roasted sunflower seeds for the extra flavor, but raw seeds will work too.

Storage: The frozen pesto keeps for about a year - if it lasts that long.