Pecan Free Basil & Olive Pesto
Bright, herby, and deeply savory, this pesto swaps out the traditional pine nuts entirely and leans on briny green olives to deliver that rich, satisfying body you want in a great sauce. The olives bring a subtle saltiness that plays beautifully against the fresh basil and the bright pop of lemon juice and zest ā it's a combination that feels both familiar and genuinely exciting. Garlic rounds everything out, and a slow drizzle of good extra-virgin olive oil ties it all together into something silky and vibrant. For anyone navigating tree nut allergies or sensitivities, store-bought pestos can be a minefield of unexpected ingredients, but this one is made entirely from produce, olives, and pantry staples you can verify yourself. The optional parsley addition is a nice touch if you want a little extra freshness and color in the final jar. Toss it with pasta, spread it on crusty bread, swirl it into soup, or use it as a dipping sauce ā this pesto is endlessly versatile and comes together in just a few pulses of the food processor.
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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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