Liguria is the Italian region where pesto alla Genovese originated.
Pesto alla Genovese comes from Genoa and the surrounding Ligurian region in northwestern Italy. Its classic ingredients are fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmigiano-Reggiano or another hard cheese, and olive oil, traditionally crushed together.
The name pesto derives from the Genoese word pestâ, meaning to pound or crush, referring to the original mortar-and-pestle method. Liguria’s climate and culinary traditions made basil an important local ingredient, while olive oil and hard cheese supplied richness and salt.
Not every green sauce is pesto alla Genovese. Versions using parsley, sun-dried tomatoes or walnuts may be called pesto more broadly, but they are not the canonical Genoese preparation. The regional name identifies both its origin and its traditional style.