Can I freeze homemade pesto?

[Anonymous]

We have an abundance of basil in the yard and I would like to make it into pesto before the cold weather gets to it. However, it would make way more pesto than we could eat in a couple of days so if I make a big batch can I freeze it?

Also, if you have any pesto recipes you like, please share as I would like to have some variety.

TIA

[Anonymous]

Yes. Just make it as you normally would and then put it into some kind of small-ish freezer containers (unless you eat a gallon of pesto at once). If you want and if you're using something other than bags to freeze it in, you can pour a little extra olive oil on top of the pesto to avoid the harmless but not so pretty browning of the top exposed to air.

Not really related but fun: we leave the seedheads on the plants in the fall so we can watch the goldfinches eat them, and this hasn't affected the quantity of leaves the plants put out contrary to conventional wisdom. OTOH, maybe our basil plants would grow to be 6 feet tall instead of 3 if we deadheaded them!

[Anonymous]

One of my friends told me she freezes it in ice cube trays.

[Anonymous]

YES! I freeze my pesto in ice-cube trays. One cube is a perfect portion. I freeze it in the trays then bag the ice cubes.

[Anonymous]

I love to make traditional pesto and then add heavy cream to it. It makes a really delicious sauce. I second the recommendation to freeze in ice cube trays and then put the cubes in a gallon sized freezer bag.

[Anonymous]

Tip: freeze without the cheese: just basil, pine nuts, garlic and olive oil. You can add the cheese when you thaw it, and fresh parmesan tastes so much better.

[Anonymous]

I like to make it with as little oil as possable for freezing. They you can add more pil when you thaw.