Soy Free Basil & Olive Pesto
Bright, herby, and packed with Mediterranean character, this pesto swaps out the traditional pine nuts and cheese for briny green olives that bring a bold, savory depth you won't find in the jarred stuff. The combination of fresh basil, lemon juice, and lemon zest keeps everything tasting vibrant and alive, while a generous pour of extra-virgin olive oil ties it all together into a silky, spoonable sauce. For anyone navigating soy sensitivities, store-bought pestos and condiments can be a minefield of hidden additives and emulsifiers ā this one is made entirely from whole, recognizable ingredients with zero surprises. The food processor does most of the heavy lifting, and the whole process comes together in just a few pulses. A finishing taste-and-adjust step means you can dial the salt and brightness exactly to your liking, and the optional parsley adds a fresh, grassy note if you want to stretch the herb flavor even further. 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 a sealed jar 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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