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

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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.

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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.
Zest Before Juicing 🍋
Always zest your lemon before cutting and juicing it—once cut, the fruit becomes difficult to zest properly, and you'll capture more fragrant oils from the intact skin.
Hand-Tear Basil Over Chopping ✂️
Gently tear basil leaves by hand rather than using a knife, which bruises the delicate leaves and causes oxidation that darkens the pesto and diminishes its bright, fresh taste.
Add Oil Last for Emulsion 🫒
Mix all solid ingredients first, then slowly drizzle in your extra virgin olive oil while stirring to create a proper emulsion that keeps the pesto from separating and ensures silky consistency.
Use Freshly Grated Parmesan 🧀
Grate Parmesan cheese fresh from a block just before mixing into the pesto rather than using pre-grated cheese, which contains anti-caking agents that create a grainy texture and muddy the flavor.