Cashew Free Mint & Herb Pesto
Most store-bought pestos lean heavily on pine nuts or cashews as a base, which makes them a no-go for anyone avoiding tree nuts. This version skips the nuts entirely and lets a trio of fresh herbs ā mint, basil, and flat-leaf parsley ā do all the heavy lifting. The result is a bright, verdant sauce with a cooling edge from the mint and a citrusy lift from fresh lemon zest and juice that makes it taste anything but stripped down. A couple of garlic cloves and a generous pour of extra-virgin olive oil bring everything together into a coarse, spoonable paste that clings beautifully to pasta, grilled vegetables, or crusty bread. The whole thing comes together in a food processor in just a few pulses, so you're not standing over the stove ā just blending, tasting, and adjusting. It stores well in a sealed jar with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface to keep the color vivid and fresh.
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Learn more āIngredients
6 servings
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves, packed
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
- Ā½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, packed
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Ā½ tsp fine sea salt
- Ā½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- 1
Add the mint, basil, parsley, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 8ā10 times until the herbs are coarsely chopped and the garlic is broken down.
- 2
With the processor running, pour the olive oil through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream until the pesto comes together into a coarse, spoonable paste ā about 20ā30 seconds. Stop and scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula, then pulse once or twice more to incorporate any remaining herb pieces.
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