Basil Pesto with Lemon
Make a classic even better: this fresh lemon basil pesto has all the sweet, earthy notes of traditional pesto plus the subtlest hint of citrus for lasting zip.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup walnuts or walnut pieces
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 6 cloves garlic peeled
- zest of half a lemon
- 3-4 cups fresh basil leaves
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
- 1/2-3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Add walnuts, pine nuts, garlic, and lemon zest to the bowl of a food processor. Process for 20-30 seconds to finely chop garlic and nuts.
- Add basil, Parmesan, salt, and pepper, then, with the processor running, add 1/2 cup olive oil. When oil is fully incorporated, stop and check the consistency. If you like a thick pesto, stop there. If you prefer a thinner consistency, restart the blade and add up to 1/4 cup more olive oil, processing until very smooth.
- Use right away, or transfer pesto to a container that can be tightly sealed. Pour a small layer of olive oil over the pesto, seal, and store in the fridge. Use within 1-2 weeks.
Notes
- Store It. Homemade pesto can last up to 2 weeks in the fridge if stored properly, which is to say smoothed into an airtight container with a very thin layer of olive oil coating the top of the pesto. This locks out air and reduces oxidation, the process that steadily turns pesto dull in both color and flavor.
- Use the Old School Method. You can also make pesto using a mortar and pestle, as is famously recommended in Samin Nosrat's seminal book, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat. Begin by crushing the garlic and salt together into a paste, then add basil leaves a handful at a time, pounding and crushing into a thick paste. Breaking down the basil alone can take 10 minutes or more to get the ideal texture. Follow by incorporating the nuts, lemon, cheese, and pepper, and finally the olive oil, continuing to pound and mix until smooth and emulsified. Use and store as directed.
- Nutrition information is an estimate per one full cup of pesto - which is a lot!
- Recipe is adapted from Ina Garten.
Nutrition Estimate
Calories: 858 kcal, Carbohydrates: 9 g, Protein: 20 g, Fat: 85 g, Saturated Fat: 15 g, Cholesterol: 25 mg, Sodium: 1768 mg, Potassium: 377 mg, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 1 g, Vitamin A: 2825 IU, Vitamin C: 11.5 mg, Calcium: 560 mg, Iron: 3.6 mg
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