Lemony Pea Pesto

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My husband Jack can’t tell a lie. Not because he’s any nicer than the rest of us, he’s just incapable of it. For example, if he made this for me and wanted to hide the fact that it’s made almost entirely of peas, it would go like this:

Me: yum, what’s in this?
Him: um… well not peas, that’s for sure.

It’s endearing, really. He’s the most trustworthy guy you’d ever meet because he doesn’t know how to be any other way.

So now that this post is going up, the cat’s out of the bag and I have a teeny confession to make… Jack, I lied. Remember this pesto we ate for dinner (twice) last week? Totally all peas. But you liked it and never knew….

lemony pea pesto // loveandlemons.com

So there.

lemony pea pesto

 
Author:
Serves: makes about 1 cup
Ingredients
  • ½ cup frozen peas, thawed (or fresh ones, blanched)
  • handful of mint and basil
  • ½ clove minced garlic
  • a few big squeezes of lemon juice (to taste)
  • 2-3 tablespoons grated pecorino cheese*
  • drizzle of olive oil
  • salt & pepper
  • top with: lemon zest & red pepper flakes
Instructions
  1. Pulse all pesto ingredients together in a food processor. Taste and adjust.
  2. Serve on grilled crusty bread drizzled with olive oil and rubbed with garlic.
  3. (also good on pasta, in salads, etc...)
Notes
*vegan sub: swap cheese for pine nuts or walnuts

25 comments

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Rate this recipe (after making it):  

  1. Rosie
    01.17.2021

    This recipe was so easy and absolutely delicious! We made it again just to eat as a side.

  2. This looks lovely! Can you tell me how long this would last in the fridge once made?

    Many thanks! 🙂

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.30.2016

      I keep my pesto around 4 days in the fridge – hope that helps!

  3. Kasey from turntablekitchen.com
    06.27.2013

    That is incredibly sweet and endearing. Peas + love.

  4. These toasts look amazing, the green pings out making them look extremely inviting. Lovely photographs.

  5. your blog is my most favourite .. i hope these recipes never stop
    xx

    • jeanine
      06.27.2013

      ha, thanks :). Best comment ever!

  6. Sarah from thesugarhit.com
    06.25.2013

    I love peas! And I love pea pesto! Your husband sounds like a darn sweetheart. My man is all to easy with the “shades of truth”.

    • jeanine
      06.27.2013

      yep, he is 🙂 I guess I’ll keep him…

  7. Hahahah! I do this to my husband allll the time. Surprise, you hate olives and I just finely chopped them and added them in… You had no idea and you loved it! This pesto is so bright and beautiful.

    • jeanine
      06.25.2013

      Ha, you’d have to do that trick on us because Jack and I have a collective dislike of olives 🙂

  8. Kathryn from londonbakes.com
    06.25.2013

    Ha, I think I’ve had similar conversations with my boyfriend. Love the vibrant green of this.

  9. This looks delicious! So fresh, light and health:) I also love the styling of your blog!
    Katie x

    • jeanine
      06.25.2013

      thanks Katie 🙂

  10. Jack's sister
    06.25.2013

    Ha! I currently have a basil plant that’s going nuts — if you’d like some let me know. Where are you getting your peas these days? I actually like them, probably moreso because kid-Jack used to push all of his onto my plate. 🙂

    • jeanine
      06.25.2013

      ok I’ll come over :). If you notice, I’m using mint is in everything lately because my basil hasn’t work out so well this year… I got my peas from the freezer section at whole foods. (totally busted, thanks)

  11. Ginnie from HelloLittleHome.com
    06.24.2013

    This looks so delicious and summery! Can’t wait to try it.

  12. Tieghan from halfbakedharvest.com
    06.24.2013

    Haha! I lie to my family all them time about what they are eating. In this case what they do not no will not hurt them!
    This looks so good!!

    • jeanine
      06.25.2013

      Lies of love 🙂

  13. robyn from robynsafricanadventures.blogspot.co.uk
    06.24.2013

    I know I would love this ( no lie!)as I love pea and pesto soup!

  14. Jaclyn from loveandbellinis.com
    06.24.2013

    Mmm this looks so good. I love just about anything on crusty bread, and this seems nice and light for summer.

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.