The Beginner Herb That Can Save You Money On Store-Bought Pesto

Pesto is a wonderfully versatile spread that adds an instant nutty, herbaceous zing to pastas, sandwiches, pizzas, charcuterie boards, and really just about any dish you want it in. It's become so popular that you can find jars of it in many grocery stores, and even Costco sells its own Kirkland Signature brand pesto. But running at upwards of $10 a jar, depending on the size and your location, the cost of all that green goodness can add up quickly (especially if you use it frequently). Commercial pesto has also been found to contain high levels of sodium, potentially endangering your health as well as your wallet. If you don't mind a little DIY spirit, however, you can save money by growing fresh basil and stocking up on a few key ingredients in bulk.

Making fresh pesto is surprisingly easy. All you need is some chopped up basil leaves (not the dried stuff), pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, and a little garlic. Most of these items can be purchased in bulk and stored for long periods of time, so all you really need is the basil herb itself. You can adjust based on how much you need, though if you frequently like throwing pesto on things, making large quantities at once and freezing them could be the best way to save on trips to the grocery store.

Most grocery stores sell basil leaves, but if you've ever purchased them, you probably already know that you need to use them as quickly as possible because they just don't last long without storing them in water. And, even then, you only have days to a week. Making pesto is of course one of the best things you can do with fresh herbs before they spoil, but it isn't very helpful if you can't get to it right away, or if you've purchased more than you need. So, if you love making pesto and happen to have a sunny window and just enough of a green thumb, you should give growing your own basil plants a go.

This won't get you pesto-ready basil immediately, but the good news is that, with proper care, basil tends to germinate pretty quickly, growing into a pruning-ready plant within just a few months. If you live in a warmer climate, you can grow it outdoors for some lush, aromatic greenery. Even better, it can be propagated fairly easily, so you can turn your single basil plant into a never-ending supply of the herb. That way, you can snip off what you need, when you need it, whether for pesto or as a flavorful garnish.

Growing your own basil is the perfect way to save money on pesto, but only if you take steps to preserve it properly. You can avoid premature wilting or browning by freezing freshly made pesto (or even just basil leaves) for up to six months to extend their shelf life. If you have a lot and don't plan to defrost it all at once, portion it out across a clean ice cube tray (pro tip: adding a small layer of olive oil on top of each one will help prevent freezer burn by acting as a barrier and helping and it last even longer without compromising on flavor).

Just don't refrigerate your freshly plucked basil. The cold will make the leaves turn dark and wilt faster than they would otherwise. Stick with using fresh basil for pesto quickly or freezing it for later use.