Freeze This Food

Can You Freeze Pesto?

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Illustration of pesto

Freezing is the best way to keep a glut of pesto, and it works far better than most people expect. The oil base protects the basil, so frozen pesto stays usable and reasonably green for months. For the cleanest result, freeze it in ice-cube portions and, if you can, leave the cheese out and stir it in fresh later. Sealed and frozen, pesto keeps its quality for around 6 months.

Can you freeze pesto?

Yes — it freezes well
How long it keeps frozen
About 6 months for best qualityA typical window for oil-based herb sauces. Constant freezing keeps pesto safe well past six months; the catch is quality, as the basil's green colour and bright flavour slowly fade beyond it.
How to freeze it
  1. Make or buy the pesto, ideally holding back the grated cheese to fold in fresh after thawing.
  2. Spoon it into an ice-cube tray, packing each well so you get convenient single-serving portions.
  3. Top each cube with a thin drizzle of olive oil to seal the surface and slow the basil from browning.
  4. Freeze until solid, then pop the cubes into a labelled freezer bag and press out the air.
How to thaw & use
Drop a frozen cube or two straight into hot pasta, soup, or a pan sauce and let it melt in; or thaw a portion in the fridge for spreading, stirring in the cheese and a little fresh oil to finish.
Texture & quality
Pesto freezes well because its oil shields the basil from the air that would otherwise blacken and stale it, so the texture survives largely intact. The basil does darken a little and the flavour mellows, and any cheese can turn slightly grainy — which is why classic advice is to freeze the green base and add Parmesan fresh when you serve it.

More in this group: Freezing pantry staples, dips & spreads

Frequently asked questions

What's the best way to portion pesto for the freezer?

An ice-cube tray. Each well holds a tablespoon or two — enough to season a single serving of pasta or a soup — and the frozen cubes pop out into a bag so you take only what a meal needs and leave the rest untouched.

Should I leave the cheese out of pesto before freezing?

If you can, yes. Hard cheese can turn slightly grainy through the freeze and thaw, and the flavour stays brightest stirred in fresh. Freezing the basil-and-oil base and finishing with Parmesan at serving gives the closest-to-fresh result.

Why does my frozen pesto turn dark?

Basil browns when its cut surfaces meet air. A film of olive oil over each cube seals that air out and keeps the colour brighter; blanching the basil briefly before blending helps too. A little darkening is normal and does not mean the pesto has gone off.

Do I need to thaw pesto cubes before using them?

Not for hot dishes. Stir frozen cubes straight into just-cooked pasta, a simmering soup, or a warm pan sauce and they melt in within a minute. Thaw a portion in the fridge only when you want pesto cold, for a sandwich or dressing.

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