Ginger Free Basil & Olive Pesto
Bright, herby, and packed with Mediterranean character, this pesto swaps the usual pine nuts for briny green olives, creating a sauce that's bold and a little unexpected in the best possible way. Fresh basil is the star, but the olives add a savory depth that makes every spoonful feel more complex than the short ingredient list suggests. A hit of lemon juice and zest keeps things lively and fresh, while good extra-virgin olive oil ties it all together into something silky and vibrant. The whole thing comes together in a food processor in just a few pulses ā no cooking, no fuss, and no obscure ingredients to hunt down. For anyone avoiding ginger, pesto can actually be a sneaky offender when store-bought blends add unexpected spices or preservatives, so making it from scratch like this puts you fully in control. Toss it with pasta, spread it on crusty bread, or use it as a dipping sauce ā it's endlessly versatile and keeps beautifully in the fridge.
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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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