Learn all the tips and tricks for Freezing Pesto to save money and prevent food waste. A freezer stash of frozen pesto opens the door to amazing meals packed with flavor.
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Homemade or storebought pesto pairs well with so many incredible recipes. It is a delicious summery treat made when fresh basil can be purchased at any farmer’s market or roadside farm stand.
But it’s also possible to enjoy it all year long when you have a freezer stash full of frozen pesto. Let me show you how easy it is to preserve this incredible sauce!
Whether you make your own homemade classic pesto, dairy-free/Whole30 pesto, or purchase a jar from the store, even just a bit added to savory dishes can take your food to the next level.
You’ll love using pesto in Instant Pot Lentil Soup, Air Fryer Cauliflower Gnocchi, sheet pan gnocchi, Air Fryer French Bread Pizza, pesto chicken and cauliflower, Instant Pot parmesan garlic rice, or on top of homemade whole wheat pizza dough.
Can You Freeze Pesto?
Yes! And having frozen pesto is like having the taste of summer stored in your freezer.
I highly recommend you freeze your pesto in various sizes. You can use silicone ice cube trays, mini muffin trays, silicone molds, or on a rimmed sheet pan lined with parchment (break into large shards once frozen).
I do recommend that you wash your ice cube trays multiple times after removing the frozen pesto. The strong garlic flavor in pesto tends to “cling” to plastic ice cube trays.
I also love 4 oz mason jars for larger portions. Bonus: they are stackable in the freezer.
You can also freeze basil by itself. Check out our tutorial on How to Freeze Basil.
How Long Does Frozen Pesto Last?
It will keep for 6 months in a conventional freezer or 9-12 months in a deep freezer. Try to use it up before next summer so that you can make space in the freezer for even more frozen pesto!
How Do You Defrost Frozen Pesto?
You can allow it to defrost at room temperature for 1-2 hours, or overnight in the fridge. If you freeze in small quantities, you can use the defrost setting on your microwave.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the top of the pesto prior to freezing. This will create a barrier layer to prevent it from browning upon defrosting.
- Keep the pesto “pucks” in the parchment muffin liners when storing in the freezer to prevent them from sticking to each other.
- We love these reusable silicone bags for storing all our frozen produce and when freezing garlic.
MORE HOW TO RECIPES
- What to Can, Eat, and Preserve in Summer
- How to Freeze Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
- How to Dry Basil
- How to Freeze Celery
- Dehydrating Garlic
- Freezing Peaches
- Dehydrating Tomatoes
- How to Freeze Cranberries
- Dehydrating Onions
- Freezing Cauliflower
- Freezing Cherries
- How to Freeze Spinach
- Freezing Pumpkin
- Freezing Buttermilk
- Freezing Potatoes
- How to Freeze Peppers
- Freezing Blueberries
- How to Freeze Asparagus
- Freezing Strawberries
How to Freeze Pesto
Ingredients
Instructions
- Spoon pesto into mini muffin tins lined with muffin papers/ice cube trays, filling them three-fourths full.
- Drizzle olive oil over each portion of pesto until it creates a thin layer covering the top.
- Freeze for 2-3 hours, and then remove the muffin liners from the pan and freeze each pesto"puck" in an air-tight container.
Notes
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I always freeze my pesto in large jars and then get super bummed when it is gone. I love the idea of using small portions and throwing a bit of pesto into a variety of dishes. I will definitely be changing my methods. Thanks!