
Traditional pesto relies on pine nuts and parmesan, which puts it firmly off the table for many people managing eosinophilic esophagitis. This version skips both entirely, leaning on briny green olives and a generous pour of extra-virgin olive oil to deliver that same rich, savory depth. Fresh basil is the star, brightened with lemon juice and lemon zest for a lift that makes the whole sauce feel alive. Garlic rounds everything out, and a handful of parsley can be stirred in at the end if you want a little extra herbal complexity. The food processor does all the heavy lifting ā a few pulses to break things down, then a slow drizzle of olive oil until the texture is silky with just enough body. It comes together in minutes and keeps beautifully in a jar in the fridge. Toss it with pasta, spread it on safe bread, or use it as a dipping sauce ā it's the kind of versatile condiment that makes a restricted diet feel genuinely exciting again.
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Learn more ā6 servings








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.
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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