Lactose Free Basil & Olive Pesto
Traditional pesto gets its richness from parmesan, which means it's usually off the table for anyone avoiding dairy ā but this version takes a completely different route and honestly doesn't miss a thing. Green olives step in to deliver that briny, savory depth that cheese would normally provide, while fresh basil and good extra-virgin olive oil do the heavy lifting on flavor and body. A hit of lemon juice and zest keeps everything bright and a little punchy, so the final result tastes vibrant rather than flat. The whole thing comes together in a food processor in just a few pulses, making it one of the easiest homemade condiments you'll ever throw together. Toss it with pasta, spread it on crusty bread, swirl it into soup, or use it as a marinade ā it's incredibly versatile. Optional fresh parsley adds a slightly herbaceous finish if you want to round out the flavor even further. Keep a jar in the fridge and you'll find yourself reaching for it all week long.
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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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