Almond Free Basil & Olive Pesto
Most store-bought pestos sneak in pine nuts or tree nuts, making label-reading a frustrating ritual for anyone avoiding almonds. This version sidesteps the problem entirely by swapping traditional nuts for briny green olives, which bring a savory, buttery depth that honestly makes you wonder why nuts were ever the default. Packed basil leaves, two cloves of garlic, a hit of lemon juice and zest, and a generous pour of extra-virgin olive oil come together in a food processor to create something bright, bold, and completely satisfying. The olives add just enough richness to mimic the body you'd expect from a classic pesto, while the lemon keeps everything tasting fresh and vibrant. A handful of fresh parsley is optional but worth it if you want a little extra herbal complexity. It comes together in minutes and stores beautifully in a jar, ready to toss with pasta, spread on crusty bread, or dollop over roasted vegetables whenever the craving hits.
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Learn more āIngredients
6 servings
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
- ā cup pitted green olives
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Ā½ tsp lemon zest
- Ā½ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- Ā½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1ā2 tbsp fresh parsley leaves (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the basil leaves, green olives, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 8ā10 times until the mixture is coarsely chopped and the garlic is broken down.
- 2
With the processor running, pour the olive oil in a slow, steady stream through the feed tube, processing until the pesto is smooth with a few flecks of texture remaining ā about 20ā30 seconds. Stop and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula, then pulse once or twice more to incorporate.
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