Name: Lemon Pesto with Basil
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 13 min
Yield: 2 cups
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons pine nuts; 2 cups fresh basil leaves; 1 clove garlic; 0.5 cup Parmesan; 2 tablespoons lemon zest; 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 0.25 cup extra virgin olive oil; 0.5 tsp Kosher salt; black pepper

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Lemon Pesto with Basil

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Ingredients

Warning0 allergens identified

Instructions

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Instructions

Pour the pine nuts into a small skillet. Toast over medium heat until golden-brown. Transfer to a small bowl and cool completely.

Place the basil in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse it a few times to break up the leaves. Add the pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Run the food processor, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl every once in a while, until the mixture is finely minced.

While the food processor is running, slowly drizzle the olive oil into the basil mixture until you have an emulsified pesto sauce. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired.

Nutrition

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Tips & Tricks (5)

Toast Pine Nuts First 🔥
Lightly toast your pine nuts in a dry skillet for 2-3 minutes before adding to the pesto to unlock their rich, buttery flavor and prevent them from tasting raw or bland.
Pulse, Don't Puree 🌿
Use short pulses in your food processor rather than continuous blending to maintain a chunky, rustic texture and prevent the basil from bruising or becoming bitter from over-processing.
Zest Before Juicing 🍋
Always zest your lemon before cutting and juicing it—once cut open, the zest becomes harder to remove cleanly and you'll capture more aromatic oils for maximum citrus impact.
Add Cheese Last 🧀
Fold in the Parmesan after pulsing all other ingredients to prevent it from being over-processed into a paste, ensuring you maintain pleasant cheese texture and flavor intensity.
Balance Acid and Oil 🫒
Taste as you go and adjust the lemon juice and olive oil ratio gradually—too much acid can overpower the basil, while too much oil makes it greasy rather than vibrant and fresh.