RECIPE

Olive-Mint Pesto

  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME: 10 MIN
  • SERVINGS: makes 1 cup

Grace Parisi likes using a mix of brine- and oil-cured olives for a more complex pesto; her favorites are green Sicilian, Calamata, Cerignola and oil-cured Moroccan.

Plus: More Vegetable Recipes and Tips

  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME: 10 MIN
  • SERVINGS: makes 1 cup
  • FAST
  • HEALTHY
  • MAKE-AHEAD
  • VEGETARIAN

Ingredients

  • Ingredients
    1. 2 tablespoons tightly packed mint leaves
    2. 2 tablespoons small capers, drained
    3. 1 large garlic clove, smashed
    4. 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
    5. Pinch of crushed red pepper
    6. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
    7. 1 cup pitted mixed olives, such as Calamata and Cerignola
    8. Freshly ground pepper

Directions

  1. In a food processor, pulse the mint with the capers, garlic, lemon zest and crushed red pepper. With the machine on, add the olive oil in a thin stream. Add the olives and pulse until coarsely chopped. Season the pesto with pepper.

Notes

More Saucy Ideas: Stir the pesto into mixed ground meats to make meat loaf, serve it on bruschetta with shaved Parmesan cheese, stir it into soups or whisk it into vinaigrettes.

Master Sauce recipe adapted from Get Saucy, by Grace Parisi, copyright ©2005, with permission from Harvard Common Press, 535 Albany St., Boston, MA 02118.

Serve With

Olive-Mint Pesto Meatballs with Fettuccine.