Lemon Oregano Pesto
Oregano grows like crazy in my garden box every year. It starts getting green in early spring and provides me with delicious fresh oregano until fall.
Because I have an abundance of fresh oregano every year I’m always looking for new ways to use fresh oregano.
Traditional pesto is made with basil. My lemon oregano pesto is a twist on traditional pesto that you will absolutely love. Like many things I come up with, I started switching out traditional ingredients with things I loved or happened to have on hand. This recipe comes from my abundance of oregano and my love of lemons. 🙂
In my small food processor I have about 2 cups of fresh oregano leaves I stripped off of the stems.
I add 3 small garlic cloves, zest of half a lemon, juice of half a lemon (about 1 tablespoon), 1/4 teaspoons of kosher salt and coarse black pepper, 1/4 cup of toasted pine nuts (see note), 1/4 cup of fresh Parmesan cheese and 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil.
Blend together until it forms a loose paste. Taste and add more salt if needed.
I recommend this lemon oregano pesto on baked or grilled chicken or fish and pasta.
Note: To toast pine nuts simply add them to a dry frying pan over low to medium heat for about 5 minutes stirring them occasionally to prevent them from burning. Pine nuts can be pricey. This pesto is also delicious with toasted walnuts. It does change the flavor slightly, but it’s a great less expensive alternative. ☺️
Lemon Oregano Pesto
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh oregano
- 3 small garlic cloves
- zest of 1/2 of a lemon
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
- 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp course ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (see note)
- 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Pull the oregano leaves off of the stem
- Put all your ingredients in a small food processor
- Blend until a paste is formed
- Add more olive oil if you plan to use your pesto for a dipping sauce
Notes
- To toast pine nuts simply add them to a dry frying pan over low to medium heat for about 5 minutes stirring them occasionally to prevent them from burning. Pine nuts can be pricey. This pesto is also delicious with toasted walnuts. It does change the flavor slightly, but it’s a great less expensive alternative.
- Pesto freezes well for year round goodness. 🙂
