Seeds Free Basil & Olive Pesto
Classic pesto is one of those recipes that sounds simple but often hides pine nuts or other seeds that make it off-limits for people navigating seed-free eating. This version swaps those out entirely, leaning on briny green olives to deliver that same rich, savory depth without a single seed in sight. The result is a vibrant, glossy sauce that tastes bright and herbaceous thanks to fresh basil, a hit of lemon juice, and a touch of zest that lifts the whole thing. Garlic and good extra-virgin olive oil do the heavy lifting here, binding everything into a luscious, spoonable condiment. A quick pulse in the food processor is all it takes ā no toasting, no soaking, no fuss. Toss it with pasta, spread it on crusty bread, or dollop it over roasted vegetables and you'll wonder why you ever needed the traditional version. The optional parsley addition gives it an extra layer of freshness if you want to stretch the herb flavor even further.
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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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