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Jar of homemade bright lemon pesto - packs flavor onto pizza, sauces, veggies, pasta, and soup

Lemon Pesto

Prep time: 5 mins
Total time: 5 mins
Yield: 2 Cups

Description

For those who like a little heat, add a pinch of hot red pepper flakes or 1/4 teaspoon of Aleppo pepper.
*If you prefer, you can substitute 1/4 cup nutritional yeast for the pecorino-romano.

Ingredients

  • 2 lemons
  • 1 cup roasted almonds or hazelnuts
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 cup grated Pecorino-Romano cheese *
  • 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from each lemon, set aside. Using a small sharp knife, remove the tip and stem end of each lemon and then, working from tip to stem, remove the bitter white pith; discard the tips and pith. Quarter each lemon and remove the seeds. Set aside lemon zest and quarters.
  • Place nuts, garlic, sugar, and zest in a food processor or a blender; process until finely ground. Add lemon quarters, cheese, olive oil, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper; process to a paste. Taste and adjust seasonings, including additional salt and pepper. (Can be refrigerated in a jar for a couple of weeks.)