Macadamia Free Turmeric-Ginger Parsley Lemon Pesto
This vibrant pesto swaps the usual basil-and-pine-nut formula for something far more interesting — bright flat-leaf parsley, toasted walnuts, fresh ginger, and a warm hit of turmeric that gives the whole thing a gorgeous golden-green hue. The lemon juice and zest cut right through the richness of the olive oil, keeping every spoonful lively and fresh. Traditional pesto recipes sometimes call for macadamia nuts as a buttery substitute base, but this one builds all its creaminess from walnuts and good extra virgin olive oil — no swaps needed, no label-checking required. The food processor does the heavy lifting in under a minute, and the result is a thick, spoonable paste that works on pasta, grain bowls, grilled chicken, roasted vegetables, or honestly just spread on crusty bread. A little water stirred in at the end lets you dial in exactly the texture you want, from a dense spread to a looser drizzle. It keeps in the fridge for up to five days, so you can make a batch on Sunday and reach for it all week long.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems, loosely packed
- ⅓ cup raw walnuts
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1–2 tbsp water, as needed to thin (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Add the parsley, walnuts, garlic, ginger, turmeric, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and black pepper to a food processor. Pulse 8–10 times until the mixture is coarsely chopped and the ingredients are roughly combined.
- 2
With the processor running, stream in the olive oil in a slow, steady pour until the pesto comes together into a thick, slightly textured paste, about 20–30 seconds. Stop and scrape down the sides once midway through.
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