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–+ servings
small bowl of finished lemon pesto garnished with lemon and basil.
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5 from 1 vote

Lemon Pesto Sauce

Lemon Pesto Sauce is made with fresh basil and juice and zest from a lemon for a new take on traditional pesto sauce. Great on pasta, fish, and crusty bread.
Prep Time5 minutes
Total Time5 minutes
Course: Homemade Sauces
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 167kcal
Author: Sarah Baumeister

Equipment

  • Food processor

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh basil
  • 1 garlic clove
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 lemon juice and zest
  • ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • ¼ cup pine nuts
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. black pepper

Instructions

  • Place pine nuts and peeled garlic into the bowl of the food processor and pulse on high for 15-20 seconds, or until it resembles coarse sand.
  • Add basil leaves, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and parmesan. Pulse for 5-10 seconds and then slowly start drizzling in the olive oil while the machine is running.
  • Once all of the olive oil has been added, stop food processor and scrape down the sides, if needed.

Nutrition

Calories: 167kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 170mg | Potassium: 70mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 347IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 1mg