Mint Pesto
This bright, herb-forward Mint Pesto is made with fresh mint, flat-leaf parsley, toasted pistachios, lemon, and parmesan cheese. An ideal condiment or sauce for fish, pasta, or bean salads.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves packed
- ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves packed
- ⅓ cup shelled pistachios
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese freshly grated (omit for dairy-free)
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Strip mint and parsley leaves from stems and pack into measuring cups.
- Add mint, parsley, pistachios, and garlic to a food processor. Pulse 10 to 15 times until coarsely combined. Scrape down the sides.
- Add lemon zest, lemon juice, parmesan if using, salt, and pepper. Pulse a few more times to combine.
- With the processor running on low, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the pesto comes together into a smooth, scoopable sauce.
- Taste for seasoning and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon as needed.
- Transfer to a jar. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface or add a thin layer of olive oil on top to keep the pesto bright green.
Notes
- For a dairy-free or Whole30 version, omit the Parmesan. Substitute one tablespoon of nutritional yeast for savory depth if desired.
- Toasting the pistachios in a dry pan for 2 to 3 minutes before blending deepens their flavor. Let them cool completely before adding to the food processor.
- Mint pesto oxidizes faster than basil pesto. Store in an airtight jar with a thin layer of olive oil on top. Keeps for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
- Freezes well in an ice cube tray or silicone mold. Transfer frozen cubes to a freezer bag for storage up to 3 months.
- If you grow mint, spearmint or common garden mint works best. Peppermint is too intense for this recipe.