Lemon Balm Pesto
Fresh and bright, this lemon balm pesto is perfect to make pesto pasta, or to serve with salads or sandwiches.
Servings: 0.75 cup
Calories: 1113kcal
Equipment
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups fresh lemon balm leaves diced
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove more to preference
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Remove the lemon balm leaves from the stem and roughly dice.
- Tip the pine nuts into your skillet and lightly toast for 4-5 minutes on a low heat (without oil). Move around to prevent burning. Set aside to cool.
- Add all the ingredients to your blender and blend to make your pesto. Taste test and adjust with more pine nuts or lemon balm to preference.
Notes
- It isn't absolutely necessary to toast the pine nuts, but it does bring out their flavour. If you choose to do so, dry toast them, so without any oil in the skillet.
- I suggest using extra virgin olive oil for a better flavour.
- Adjust the amount of garlic to preference. Add another clove or two for more heat!
- Pesto is quite individual in terms of preference of taste and texture. Have a taste test and adjust with more pine nuts to thicken, or more lemon balm for a more fragrant flavour.
- For a nut free version, you can swap pine nuts for pumpkin seeds.
- Please note that nutritional information is offered as a courtesy. It is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
- lemon balm isn't rated, but is rated as low histamine on other lists.
- pine nuts score 1, with a ? as a liberator.
- garlic, which scores 1.
- apple cider vinegar, which scores 1.
Nutrition
Calories: 1113kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 114g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 28g | Monounsaturated Fat: 64g | Sodium: 32mg | Potassium: 902mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3841IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 238mg | Iron: 8mg
