Ingredients
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½ cup toasted pine nuts (swap with walnuts or pistachios for a twist)
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2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
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1 small garlic clove
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¼ tsp sea salt
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Freshly ground black pepper
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2 cups fresh basil leaves
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¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (plus more if you like it smoother)
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¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional but dreamy)
Directions
- In a food processor, combine nuts, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pulse until finely chopped.
- Add the basil and pulse again until blended.
- With the motor running, drizzle in olive oil until the pesto comes together.
- Pulse in Parmesan cheese, if using. Taste and adjust—you might want more lemon, more oil, or more salt.
Recipe Note
🔄 Savvy Swaps: Pesto Edition
Why stop at basil? Once you master the basics, pesto is basically a choose-your-own-adventure sauce. Try these easy twists:
🌱 Arugula Pesto – Peppery and bold. Swap basil for arugula + add an extra squeeze of lemon.
🌿 Cilantro-Lime Pesto – Fresh and zesty. Replace basil with cilantro + swap lemon juice for lime. Perfect on tacos or grilled shrimp.
🍅 Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto – Rich and tangy. Add ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil) and reduce basil to 1 cup. Try it on sandwiches or pizza.
🥬 Spinach-Walnut Pesto – Mild and kid-friendly. Use spinach instead of basil + walnuts instead of pine nuts. A sneaky way to get more greens in.
🥜 Pistachio Pesto – Sweet and nutty. Swap pine nuts for pistachios and keep basil as-is. Gorgeous with salmon or roasted carrots.
Savvy Tip: Mix and match herbs, nuts, and citrus. If it’s green and leafy, you can probably turn it into pesto.
