You want to freeze basil pesto, but do not know how? It is very simple! This will keep your pesto in the freezer for a year!
Are the basil plants sprouting so much for you too? After a bumpy start in the cool month of May, things are really taking off now.
I already do not know where to put all the basil.
So I make pesto in large quantities. But even that does not keep forever. So I asked myself: can you freeze basil pesto without it losing flavor?
Time for a self-test!
I tried it for you and tell you what to look for when freezing pesto.
Why you should freeze basil pesto
There is often little time for a sensible lunch. If you avoid fast food and convenience foods, you're doing your health a big favor.
But starving yourself is not an option either. You don't have to. Because pesto is the solution to this problem.
Quickly cook some pasta or rice, add the pesto and you're done. This takes a total of just 10 minutes if you use a ready-made pesto.
Super tasty pesto made from fresh basil or one based on tomatoes. However, the shelf life is very limited. So what to do if you do not want to give up the delicious taste of homemade sauce?
Very simple: freeze basil pesto and enjoy the delicious taste all year round.
Or in short - freezing is worth it because you can
- excess herbs can turn into a delicious pesto,
- Pesto leftovers do not have to throw away,
- always have a delicious meal at hand, even if you don't have time,
- Pesto can be preserved for a very long time.
If you're going to freeze a store-bought basil, do it as soon as you realize there's some left over. The sooner you freeze it, the better. I make my own pesto from herbs in the garden that I make specifically just for the freezer.
So just prepare 1x in large quantities and then off to the freezer.
This keeps herbs fresh for extra long!
Why you should always freeze small portions
Pesto is quite liquid. If you were to put everything together in a tupperware box right now, you would end up with a huge dark green lump that would be hard to thaw. You would have to cut off pieces with a sharp knife and then freeze the rest.
This is not only very time-consuming, but also increases the risk of injury. Therefore, freeze pesto either in small plastic boxes or even better in ice cube molds.
The ice cube mold is optimal because it is very easy to portion. If you are alone at dinner, you take one ice cube, if you are two or more, then you take another cube for each person.
But you don't have to buy 10 ice cube molds now. If you want to freeze basil pesto, then one mold is enough. The pesto is frozen in about 3 hours. Then you can remove it from the mold and put it in a bag.
Then fill the next pesto into the ice cube mold. For whom this sounds like too much work, you can of course also freeze 3-4 molds at the same time.
Tip: Be sure to label the bags. Otherwise, after a while you won't know which pesto you froze where and when. I always write down the month, year and the type of pesto.
By the way, this applies to any pesto you make: No matter whether vegan Arugula pesto with walnuts, Beet pesto with pistachios or Chard pesto with pumpkin seeds.
What you need to consider when freezing basil pesto
Actually, it's quite simple, but there are a few hacks that make it even easier. Here are some tips I'd like to share with you. It's worth spending a few minutes on them.
Do not use too much oil
Yes, pesto is infused with olive oil. But do not overdo it. Freeze basil pesto rather "dry". You can add fresh oil after thawing.
This saves space when freezing and provides a more intense taste experience.
Refresh the color of the pesto
Yes, fresh pesto looks more appetizing. Once it is frozen, it turns dark green. But it doesn't change the taste. If you want the pesto to look fresh, just stir in a few fresh leaves before serving.
Tips like adding lemon are well-intentioned, but it never worked for me. The pesto has become just as dark green as the one without lemon. It makes no difference visually. Tastewise, the variant with lemon is of course a little more acidic.
Yummy: creamy asparagus pesto!
The durability
If your garden is overflowing with fresh herbs and you want to freeze basil pesto, you should know how long it will keep. In a freezer, homemade pesto will easily last for a year.
In the freezer, the temperature is usually not so low and therefore the shelf life is limited. But half a year holds the pesto without problems. Make sure that the pesto is completely cold before freezing and then immediately off with it in the freezer.
Basil pesto defrost
You'll get the most flavor if you let the pesto thaw slowly and gently. Basil in particular is known to lose flavor when heated. Therefore, simply place the frozen cubes on a plate and let them thaw in the refrigerator.
If it must go quickly, I throw the frozen cube but also like times on the hot noodles. Not ideal, but when hunger calls, there's no other way 🙂 .
Our conclusion
Freezing basil pesto is not an art. Note to portion it in small quantities and label the bag afterwards. If you have time, let it thaw slowly overnight. But it also tastes pretty good frozen on hot pasta.
Good luck and enjoy it!
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