Barley Free Basil & Olive Pesto
Bright, herby, and punchy with briny green olives, this pesto is the kind of condiment that makes everything it touches taste more alive. The combination of fresh basil, lemon zest, and good extra-virgin olive oil creates a sauce that's vibrant and deeply aromatic ā no cooking required, just a food processor and a few quality ingredients. Green olives bring a savory, slightly tangy depth that sets this version apart from the classic pine nut style, and the result is something genuinely craveable. For anyone navigating grain sensitivities, this is a completely safe and satisfying option ā every ingredient here is naturally free of barley and any grain-based fillers that sometimes sneak into store-bought pestos. A splash of fresh lemon juice keeps the color brilliant and the flavor sharp, while the optional parsley adds a subtle earthiness if you want a little more complexity. Spoon it over pasta, swirl it into soup, spread it on crusty bread, or use it as a dipping sauce ā it's endlessly versatile and comes together in just a few pulses.
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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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