Gelatin Free Basil & Olive Pesto
Bright, herbaceous, and punchy with briny green olive flavor, this pesto is the kind of condiment that makes everything it touches taste more alive. Traditional pesto recipes sometimes sneak in unexpected additives when bought pre-made, but this one is built entirely from whole, recognizable ingredients ā fresh basil, garlic, lemon, olives, and good olive oil. There's nothing hidden here, which makes it a genuinely stress-free option for anyone navigating ingredient labels at the grocery store. The green olives are the real surprise, adding a savory depth that replaces the usual pine nuts without missing a beat. A slow drizzle of olive oil into the running food processor gives you that silky, cohesive texture with just enough rustic fleck to remind you it's homemade. Optional parsley brightens the color and adds a subtle freshness if you want to lean into the green. Spoon it over pasta, swipe it on sandwiches, or stir it into roasted vegetables ā it keeps beautifully in a jar and gets even better as the flavors settle.
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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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