Mint Pesto – A Bright and Refreshing Way to Enjoy Basil

Mint pesto is a fresh new way to enjoy basil. It is bright and refreshing with the perfect amount of mint flavor that doesn’t overwhelm. It works well with a wide variety of dishes and adds the most gorgeous color to anything it is stirred into.

Whether you are using this vibrant sauce on pasta, as a dressing for salads, or to top baked chicken or fish, the possibilities are endless. And it is just as easy to make as your traditional classic basil pesto!

The base of this delicious pesto is a combination of fresh basil and mint leaves, but the flavors really shine through with the addition of pine nuts and parmesan cheese. The other essential ingredients are extra virgin olive oil (don’t be tempted to replace this with water) and lemon juice and zest. The zest adds a great balance to the herbs and the oil helps preserve the delicate flavors in this pesto.

Toss it with pasta for a simple no fuss vegetarian dinner. Add it to grilled vegetables for a light summer supper. Spread it on a sandwich with goat cheese or mix it into a bowl of soup for a healthy vegetarian meal. This versatile sauce also works well on a lamb burger or mixed into grated potatoes to make a quick and easy veggie side dish.

A food processor or blender will work best to quickly chop the mint, basil and pine nuts. But if you don’t have one, you can use a knife to finely chop the leaves and then pound them with a mortar and pestle to make the paste. It will just take a little longer this way.

Blanching the herbs is important because it will inactivate enzymes that can cause deterioration in flavor, texture and color during storage. So, while this step isn’t necessary for most meals, it is for this pesto that you will be storing in the fridge or freezer.

If you are storing it in the fridge, cover the pesto with a piece of plastic wrap directly over the surface to prevent browning. This will help keep it greener and fresher for a couple of days. The pesto can also be frozen in ice cube trays for up to 12 months.

If you are making this to serve right away, skip the blanching and simply combine the mint leaves, parsley and pine nuts with hot tap water, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper in your food processor or blender. Process to a coarse puree and season to taste with more salt and pepper. Then transfer to a glass jar and store in the refrigerator. If you are storing it in the freezer, transfer the pesto to an airtight container and label it with the date and contents. When ready to use, thaw overnight in the fridge. This recipe makes about 2 cups of pesto.