CC's Table | Easy Recipes for Entertaining

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • About Caitlin of CC’s Table
    • CC’s Favorites
    • FAQ
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
  • RECIPES
  • WORK WITH ME
  • Cookie Policy
  • Cookie Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Work With Me
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Work With Me
×
CC's Table » Recipes » Sides and Sauces

Lemon Pesto

Published: Aug 11, 2020 · Modified: May 23, 2023 by Caitlin Charlton · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you. · 4 Comments

Jump to Recipe

This Lemon Pesto recipe with basil and arugula is the perfect sauce to add to pasta, chicken, seafood, and veggies. The lemon adds an extra level of freshness that will make this pesto recipe your new go-to!

green pesto sauce in a clear jar on a white counter with pine nuts, a lemon half, and arugula in the background
Jump to:
  • Ingredients needed for Lemon Pesto
  • What does adding lemon to pesto do?
  • Quick How To
  • Make ahead tips
  • Expert tips
  • Ways to use lemon pesto
  • 📖 Recipe
  • Comments

Ingredients needed for Lemon Pesto

  • Lemon- to give the pesto extra freshness and "pop"
  • Basil- a staple in any classic pesto sauce. Remove the basil leaves from the large stems (a little stem is okay), rinse them, and let them dry completely.
  • Arugula- this is not traditional but I love the added peppery flavor that arugula gives. You can always skip and add more basil if you are unable to get arugula.
  • Pine nuts- In Italy, they keep the pine nuts raw since this is a "raw sauce." I personally love the added nuttiness of toasted pine nuts. You can purchase them pre-toasted, or better yet, freshly toast them on the stovetop. I keep my pine nuts in the freezer to make them last longer. You can also play around with other nuts, such as walnuts or almonds.
  • Parmesan- I love using freshly grated parmesan. To make this pesto dairy-free and vegan, omit the parmesan and add a pinch more salt.
  • Garlic- I always use fresh garlic, as opposed to jarred minced garlic, which has a different taste.
  • Red pepper flakes- these add just a slight mild kick! You can omit if you are sensitive to spice.
  • Extra-virgin olive oil- you can add more or less if you prefer your pesto thicker or thinner. It doesn't need to be super expensive, but you'll absolutely be able to taste the flavor of it so make sure it is a yummy one.

What does adding lemon to pesto do?

Lemon adds a touch of freshness to the pesto! The acidic flavor pairs deliciously with the basil and peppery arugula. The lemon also helps keep the pesto fresh and will prevent it from browning too fast.

Quick How To

  1. Add all ingredients except the olive oil to a food processor and pulse.
  2. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil until you reach the desired consistency.
an overhead photo of basil, parmesan, pine nuts, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor
olive oil being poured into a clear food processor with a green pesto sauce

Make ahead tips

Pesto can be made up to 3-5 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Before sealing, add a thin layer of olive oil to the top to help prevent browning (the lemon also helps prevent browning!).

Want to save this recipe to come back to it?

I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!

You can freeze pesto up to 3-4 months. Place the pesto in an airtight tight container. Alternatively, you can place the pesto in ice cube trays. Once frozen, pop them into a freezer-safe sealed bag to use defrost little bits at a time.

pesto scooped on a silver spoon with a jar of pesto in the background

Expert tips

  • Make sure the basil and arugula leaves are completely dry before using them to help prevent the pesto from turning brown.
  • To make the pesto thicker or thinner, add less or more olive oil.
  • I make this pesto in a food processor, but you can use a blender or mortar and pestle if that is what you have on hand.

Ways to use lemon pesto

Serve this lemon basil pesto with:

  • Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Pesto
  • Chicken Pesto Bowl
  • Your favorite pasta with roasted cherry tomatoes

Please be sure to leave a comment if you try this lemon pesto with basil, I'd love to know what you think!

A clear jar half filled with green pesto sauce next to pine nuts, a white napkin, lemon, arugula, and a salt jar

📖 Recipe

green pesto sauce in a clear jar on a white counter with pine nuts, a lemon half, and arugula in the background

Lemon Pesto

The best lemon pesto with basil and arugula– perfect on just about anything!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes minutes
Servings: 1 cup
Author: Caitlin Charlton

Ingredients

  • 3 cups basil leaves packed
  • 1 cup arugula packed
  • ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes use less if you don't want a slight kick
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

  • Add basil, arugula, toasted pine nuts, parmesan, red chili flakes, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to a large food processor.
  • Pulse while simultaneously drizzling in olive oil. Pesto is done when it is just combined and ingredients are very small (but not a paste).

Notes

  • Makes approximately 1 cup of pesto.
  • Can be refrigerated in an airtight container with an extra drizzle of olive oil layered on top up to 3-5 days, or up to 3-4 months in the freezer. 

Want to save this recipe to come back to it?

I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!

Tried this recipe?Please consider leaving a review! It means the world to me!

More Sides and Sauces

  • Mexican street corn elote pasta salad in a glass bowl next to cilantro, lime wedges, cotija, and a wooden spoon.
    Elote Pasta Salad
  • Baked mushroom mac and cheese in a white baking dish with a scoop missing next to a sprig of thyme and white wine.
    Mushroom Mac and Cheese
  • Crème Fraîche Mashed Potatoes topped with chives and butter in a white baking dish next to a wooden spoon and white towel.
    Crème Fraîche Mashed Potatoes
  • Spring cucumber farro salad with feta in a bowl with radishes and snap peas next to dill, a napkin, and a serving spoon.
    Cucumber Farro Salad with Feta

Comments

    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Kelly Burns says

    December 15, 2020 at 10:33 am

    Just made this pesto for the 6th time. It is so fresh and delicious . Such a welcome treat on a cold dreary day .💕

    Reply
    • Caitlin from CC's Table says

      December 15, 2020 at 9:10 pm

      Thank you so much! This comment made my day! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Maureen says

    December 30, 2020 at 8:58 am

    This pesto recipe is a 10! I just loved the hint of garlic and lemon. I will definitely be making again and don't think I can ever go back to store bought pesto. Thank you for sharing!!

    Reply
    • Caitlin from CC's Table says

      December 30, 2020 at 9:49 am

      Oh this makes me so happy! Thank you so much for trying it! I’m so glad you loved it!

      Reply
Photo of Caitlin with brown hair smiling and cooking

Hi, I'm Caitlin! I'm an event planner turned professionally trained chef living by the beach! I'm excited to share with you recipes and tips for how I entertain with ease by prepping ahead.

More about me →

Connect on social

  • Instagram
  • TikTok
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Trending Recipes

  • Ground Chicken Enchilada Recipe
    Ground Chicken Enchiladas

  • Four slices of ribeye steak sandwiches with chimichurri stacked on a cutting board next to oregano.
    Steak Sandwich with Chimichurri

  • Shrimp scampi and angel hair pasta in a cast iron skillet next to lemon wedges on a white counter.
    Shrimp Scampi with Angel Hair Pasta

  • Two plates of salmon with a yogurt dill sauce on top of farro and asparagus next to a glass of wine.
    Salmon with Yogurt Dill Sauce

Footer

CC's Table logo with tagline entertaining with ease

About

About Caitlin

CC's Favorites

Privacy Policy

Contact

Contact

Work With Me

FAQ

Connect on Social

  • Pinterest
  • TikTok
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

© 2020-2025 CC's Table All Rights Reserved.

Manage Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}
Manage Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.