Citric Acid Free Basil & Olive Pesto
Most store-bought pestos sneak in citric acid as a preservative, which makes finding a safe jarred version genuinely frustrating. This homemade blend sidesteps that entirely, relying on fresh lemon juice and lemon zest for brightness instead of any processed acidulant ā so you know exactly what's going into every spoonful. The combination of fragrant basil and briny green olives gives this pesto a bold, savory depth that feels a little more interesting than the classic pine nut version. Garlic and good extra-virgin olive oil tie everything together into something silky, punchy, and deeply satisfying. A food processor does all the heavy lifting, and the whole thing comes together in just a few pulses ā no cooking required. Toss it with pasta, spread it on flatbread, or dollop it over roasted vegetables for an instant upgrade. The optional parsley adds a fresh, herby lift if you want to stretch the flavor even further.
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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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