Easy Lemon Pesto (5-Minute Recipe)
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my Privacy Policy for details.
You can make Lemon Pesto (Pesto al Basilico e Limone) in five minutes! This easy recipe uses the same ingredients as traditional Genovese pesto, plus lemon. Try it with pasta, pizza sauce, roasted veggies, bruschetta, or your favorite pesto pasta salad!
A squeeze of lemon makes everything taste better! But if you are like me, the more lemons you have, the better! What can I say? I love lemon! Which is why it makes sense that I am crazy about this lemon pesto! It has all the great hallmarks of pesto: basil, pine nuts, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese (or, in my case, vegan Parmesan). Then I add lemon, which wakes up the flavor! That’s why it’s sometimes called lemon-basil pesto.
This recipe is so fast and straightforward that you can make it before your pasta is ready! Toast the pine nuts (optional), add the ingredients to a food processor, and pulse. So easy! If you are like me, then add extra lemon!
Then, you can use the lemon pesto to make orzo pasta, bruschetta, or homemade lemon pizza! That’s a starting list. Let me know in the comments how you would use this recipe.
Key Ingredient Notes
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
This is a no-cook recipe, meaning the quality of olive oil matters! I recommend using the best olive oil your budget allows. I prefer hand-cold-pressed olive oil. That said, if I am out, my standard cooking olive oil works, too!
Pine Nuts
Pine nuts are a staple of pestos. They are very mild in flavor. So, to bring out their flavor, we will toast them in a dry skillet for two minutes. If you are out of pine nuts, I recommend almond slivers.
Lemon
Lemon is the star of this recipe (pretty sure that goes without saying). Look for fresh lemons with bright skin. If you can find a Meyer lemon, that is perfect. However, I rarely find them; instead, I use traditional large lemons.
Sicilian Lemon Pesto – The Sicilian lemon pesto has a unique variation. It includes local ingredients, almonds and ricotta cheese, to make a creamier pesto.
See the recipe card for the complete ingredient list and measurements.
Readers Also Liked
Step by Step Instructions
Step One: Toast the Pine Nuts
In a dry pan over medium heat, toast 1/4 cup of pine nuts for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and fragrant. Let them cool.
Step Two: Blend the Ingredients
In a food processor or blender, combine 2 cups of basil, toasted pine nuts, 2 minced garlic cloves, ½ cup Parmesan, lemon zest, and 2 to 3 tbsp lemon juice.
Step Three: Add Olive Oil
With the processor running, slowly drizzle in ½ cup of olive oil until smooth. If the pesto is too thick, mix in a little more olive oil or lemon juice. When you reach the desired texture, your pesto is ready to serve!
Adjust the lemon to your preference. Use 1 tablespoon for mild lemon flavor, 2 tablespoons for standard, and 3 tablespoons for strong lemon flavor.
Diet Modifications
- Vegan Lemon Pesto – Substitute Parmesan with dairy-free Parmesan or nutritional yeast. Use dairy-free cheese in a 1:1 ratio. Or, add one tablespoon of nutritional yeast instead of cheese.
- Nut-Free Lemon Pesto – Replace the nuts with unsalted sunflower seeds. You can also lightly toast the seeds to deepen the flavor.
Perfect Pairings
- Pasta! Lemon pesto and your favorite pasta make a simple and light dish. I like it with spring peas!
- Top grilled Mediterranean vegetables with a bit of lemon pesto.
- Use it as a condiment instead of mayo on your next sandwich.
- Make a homemade pizza with lemon pesto as the sauce!
Storing Instructions
Store it in an airtight container. It will last up to seven days in the refrigerator or three months in the freezer. I like to freeze it using an ice cube tray or Sooper Cubes. This lets me save it in single servings, which are perfect for the nights I want something fast and easy
How Did It Go?
I hope you loved this lemon pesto recipe as much as I do! Before you go, please leave a rating and a comment to let me know how it went.
Easy Lemon Pesto (5-Minute Recipe)
Equipment
- 1 small skillet
- 1 cutting board
- 1 chef knife
Ingredients
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 2 cups basil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese/vegan Parmesan cheese
- 1 zest of one lemon
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ cup olive oil
Instructions
- In a dry pan over medium heat, toast 1/4 cup of pine nuts for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden. Let them cool.
- In a food processor or blender, combine 2 cups of basil, toasted pine nuts, 2 minced garlic cloves, ½ cup Parmesan, lemon zest, and ½ cup lemon juice.
- With the processor running, slowly drizzle in ½ cup of olive oil until smooth. If the pesto is too thick, mix in a little more olive oil or lemon juice. When you reach the desired texture, your pesto is ready to serve!
Very good on shrimp and spaghetti noodles. This recipe has so much flavor. I love that I had some of the ingredients outside in my garden. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Vanessa, thank you so much for leaving a comment and I am so happy you liked my recipe! I think lots of lemon makes everything taste better.