Pesto’s French Cousin Deserves More Love–Homemade Basil Pistou

Learn how to make a homemade pistou sauce—a fresh, nut-free French basil sauce packed with flavor. This easy pistou recipe is made in under 10 minutes using a food processor.

My version combines basil, garlic, lemon zest and juice, crushed red pepper flakes, and a chunk of Parmigiano Reggiano for a smooth, creamy finish—no pine nuts required.

Use it as a pasta sauce, sandwich spread, or stir it into soups and stews for an herby boost.

👉 Get the full recipe with a variety of ways to use this fresh basil sauce here: https://www.garlicandzest.com/pistou/
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Pistou
INGREDIENTS:
4 cups packed basil leaves
1½ ounces Parmigiano Reggiano or ¾ cup of grated parmesan
1 tablespoon garlic, about three medium-large cloves
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
pinch black pepper
½ cup extra virgin olive oil plus extra for storage

DIRECTIONS:
Place 1½ ounces Parmigiano Reggiano in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it’s finely grated and resembles coarse sand.

Add 4 cups of packed basil leaves and 1 tablespoon of roughly chopped garlic to the parmesan and pulse until the basil and garlic are finely minced.

Add 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and a pinch of black pepper, and pulse to combine.

Drizzle ½ cup extra virgin olive oil into the basil mixture while processing, until the mixture comes together as a thick sauce.

For thinner pistou, drizzle in 2-4 more tablespoons of olive oil to your tastes.

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