Franca's Fabulous Italian Mint Pesto
This super simple 4-ingredient Italian Mint Pesto recipe is a delicious fresh condiment that can be served as an appetizer with cheese, used as a dipping sauce for bread, drizzled on chicken, salmon, shrimp, pork and a zillion other things!
Servings: 48 1 teaspoon servings
Calories: 22kcal
Ingredients
- 3 cups lightly packed fresh mint leaves
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil maybe a bit more
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a medium-size pot of water to a boil. Add the mint leaves and set a timer for 40 seconds. After 40 seconds, drain in a large strainer and rinse well with cold tap water. Allow the mint to drain in the strainer then grab it with your hand and squeeze out as much water as you can.
- Now transfer the mint to a clean dish towel and pull it apart so it’s not one big clump. Roll the mint in the dish towel to remove any last bits of water.
- Place the blanched mint on a cutting board and, using a large, sharp chef’s knife or a mezzaluna (see notes in the post) chop, chop, chop. You want the mint very finely chopped. When you think it’s finely chopped, chop it a little more. (Take a break if you need to, to give your wrist a chance to rest!)
- Transfer the chopped mint leaves to a medium-small bowl. Add ½ cup of olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir well to combine. Add more oil, if needed, to reach desired consistency. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Will keep well for a week to 10 days.
Notes
See Café Tips above in the post for more details instructions and tips to ensure success.
Nutrition
Calories: 22kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 13mg | Potassium: 16mg | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 119IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg