Oats Free Basil & Olive Pesto
Bright, herby, and punchy with briny depth, this pesto swaps the usual pine nuts for pitted green olives ā and the result is genuinely addictive. The olives bring a savory, slightly tangy richness that pairs beautifully with the fresh basil and a hit of lemon zest, making every spoonful taste layered and alive. Since the whole thing comes together in a food processor in just a few pulses, it's the kind of sauce you'll find yourself making on a weeknight just because you can. Grain-free by nature, this recipe contains zero oat-based fillers, thickeners, or additives ā just clean, whole ingredients you can actually see and name. That matters more than it sounds, because plenty of store-bought pestos and sauces sneak in unexpected starches or stabilizers that can be a real problem. Optional fresh parsley adds a gentle herbal lift if you want to stretch the green color and flavor even further. Toss it with pasta, spread it on flatbread, or spoon it over roasted vegetables ā this one earns its place in the regular rotation.
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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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