Simple Lemon Basil Pesto

This Simple Lemon Basil Pesto can be made in less than 10 minutes. Herby, savory, and summery with just a touch of lemon to make the flavor really shine! 

I’ve been making a version of this Simple Basil Lemon Pesto for years, after being introduced to it at a catering company I worked for ages ago called Parties That Cook. That version was paired with salt-crusted prawns, roasted in a hot oven. The combination was so divine that I served it again and again once I opened my own personal chef business. And I soon realized that while the prawns were delicious, it was really the pesto that made the guests scrape the bowl to get the very last bit. Now I make this pesto for all sorts of uses—read on to find out some of my favorites! 

Why Make This Recipe?

• So versatile! Pesto can be used in so many different recipes to make your meal just a little more special. You can also freeze it in small quantities so that you always have some on-hand. 
• So fast! You can make this recipe in under 10 minutes, which is seriously little effort for something that tastes so good. 
• So healthy! Fresh basil includes Vitamins A and K, along with small amounts of manganese, calcium, and iron. It has been used as a folk remedy for insect bites and nausea, and basil extracts are currently being studied by scientists for possible therapeutic benefits for a variety of ailments. Pine nuts are high in protein and fiber, and a good source of vitamins and minerals as well. 
• Vegetarian! This vegetarian pesto is perfect for plant-based eating—it has so much flavor that you really won’t miss the meat when you toss this with pasta or gnocchi. You can also make a vegan pesto by using a vegan version of parmesan cheese. 

🥗 Ingredients

• Pine nuts: Pine nuts are a classic in pesto, because they provide a nice creamy texture when ground up. But pesto is quite a flexible recipe, so feel free to replace them with walnuts, cashews, or almonds. I’d recommend toasting whatever nut you do choose. 
• Basil: I love the flavor of fresh basil in pesto, especially in the summer, but you can make pesto from so many other different herbs and greens. In the early spring, you can’t beat this Lemony Ramp Pesto. In the fall, I’ve made arugula pesto and kale pesto, both with much success. 
• Parmesan cheese: Since this recipe only uses 2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese, I highly recommend buying a good hunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano and grating it yourself on a microplane. (You’ll use one for the zesting anyway.) Real parmesan that you grate yourself is always better, though as a reasonable substitute, you can absolutely use the packaged pre-grated parmesan cheese in the deli section of your supermarket. Grated, not shredded, is best, and make sure to buy the parm in the refrigerated section and not on the shelf of the spaghetti sauce section. I’m not sure what that is, but it’s not cheese.
• Lemon zest: As mentioned above, you’ll want a microplane to zest your lemons. This tool, born as a wood lathe, is one of my favorite kitchen implements. When you use it to zest a lemon, lime, or orange, the zest comes off smoothly without tearing any of the bitter pith underneath. You can make quick work of any zesting project. 

🥣 Instructions

First, toast pine nuts in a small nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until lightly browned. Let cool. 

Combine cooled toasted pine nuts, basil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, parmesan cheese, olive oil, and garlic clove (if desired) in a small food processor.

Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides a couple of times. You may need to tip the processor over a bit to blend it better if the blade does not quite reach the bottom. When finished, you’ll have about ½ cup of pesto. If you want a looser pesto, feel free to add more olive oil. 

🧐 Recipe FAQs

👩‍🍳 Expert Tips

• How to Toast Pine Nuts: Pine nuts are easy to toast, but you must watch them carefully. My favorite method to toast them is to use a small skillet. Heat the skillet on medium-low, then add your pine nuts. WATCH THEM CAREFULLY. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to throw out burned pine nuts because I walked away from the stove at the crucial time. Resist the urge to turn the heat up to high—yes, that will toast your pine nuts faster, but they are likely to burn or at least will be very unevenly toasted. So, low and slow it is. Stir them around every 30 seconds or so while you are on medium-low heat. They will start to turn golden brown and smell toasty within a few minutes. Take them off the heat immediately when they are toasted to your liking. 
• Make a Double Batch: This recipe makes only ½ cup of lemon basil pesto. I find it’s the perfect amount to toss with pasta, or use as a dip, but if you plan to make a large batch of pasta or simply want more pesto to freeze, you can easily double this recipe. If so, you may want to use a regular-sized food processor. 
• Other Options for Blending: If you don’t have a mini food processor, you might try using an immersion blender. It will be harder to get a completely smooth texture, but a more rustic version will still taste delicious. You can even hand chop everything, or use a mortar and pestle, if you’re really industrious! 

Other Summer Recipes

If you enjoyed this recipe for Lemon Basil Pesto, and love summer produce like basil as much as I do, you might want to check out some of my other favorite summer recipes. 

If you try this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Leave a comment below—I read them all, and your feedback is invaluable to me. And please follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook or subscribe to my newsletter. I'd love to inspire you with more delicious, healthy, and seasonal recipes!

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