Tree Nut Free Ginger Cilantro Lime Pesto
This vibrant, herb-forward pesto is a serious upgrade from the classic basil version, swapping in fresh cilantro and parsley for a sauce that's punchy, citrusy, and almost impossibly green. The double hit of ginger — ground and freshly grated — gives it a warm, aromatic backbone that plays beautifully against the bright lime juice and zest. Traditional pesto recipes almost always call for pine nuts or other tree nuts, but this one skips them entirely without sacrificing any richness, thanks to a generous pour of good extra-virgin olive oil that brings everything together into a silky, cohesive sauce. It comes together in a food processor in just a few pulses, making it one of those recipes you'll find yourself turning to on a weeknight when you need something fast and impressive. Drizzle it over grilled fish or chicken, toss it with noodles, swirl it into soup, or spread it on flatbread — the possibilities are genuinely endless. If you've ever had to read the back of a store-bought pesto jar with a sinking feeling, making your own this way means you know exactly what's in it, full stop.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 2 cups fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, loosely packed
- ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, loosely packed
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- 1 tsp lime zest
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Add the cilantro, parsley, garlic, lime juice, lime zest, salt, ground ginger, and fresh ginger (if using) to the bowl of a food processor or blender.
- 2
Pulse 8–10 times until the herbs and garlic are roughly chopped and the mixture begins to come together.
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