Lemon Balm Pesto

Here's a versatile Lemon Balm Pesto that's perfect for a variety of things. Creamy, cheesy, with a crunchy nutty texture, this pesto spread has the best combination of textures and flavors. It's not too strong or overbearing, or too much lemony flavor, it's light and refreshing. Mellow enough to eat straight, or you can use it on toast or in your favorite pasta dish.

Today I'm sharing my recipe for Lemon Balm Pesto but before I share the recipe I wanna explain how it came to be.

A few years ago I was wanting to collect different herbs and along with the 4 kinds of mint I got from her I also got a small start of Lemon Balm. Her husband told me to make sure I love it or keep it in a container because it will spread and is a nightmare to get rid of.

Fast forward 2 years, I have two big and healthy bushes of lemon balm and a million little starts all over the herb garden. I do love it and walk in the garden just to smell it sometimes, but with my abundance of it I thought, is there anything else I can do with this stuff other than make tea?

I now have a delicious way to use my over abundance of Lemon Balm and it is no longer taking over the herb garden because of it.

Why You'll Love This Lemon Balm Pesto Recipe

• Delicious freshly made pesto ready in only 5 minutes
• More flavorful than traditional pesto
• Versatile and can be used in various recipes

Ingredients Needed

• Bunch of Lemon Balm (Roughly 2 cups of loose leaves and stems.)
• Chives (Roughly chopped)
• Macadamia nuts
• Provolone cheese
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Lemon juice
• Avocado oil (can sub for olive oil)

How to Make Lemon Balm Pest

1. Wash the lemon balm and pick out any unwanted leaves and stems. 
2. Fill the bowl of a food processor with the lemon balm, chives, Macadamia nuts, and provolone cheese. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and put the lid on.
3. Start the processor and pour in the Lemon Juice, allowing everything to break down. Stop and scrape the sides down if needed.
4. Then with processor still running add the avocado oil and process until it's the desired consistency.

Storage

The pesto is ready to use right away or can be stored in the fridge for up to a week. I like to store it in an airtight container, glass jar, or a mason jar.

You can freeze this. A great way to store this pesto is in ice cube trays, so you have individual-size portions to thaw out and use later. I suggest freezing this for no longer than a month. You can store in a freezer safe container if desired.

Tips and Variations

• You can use this pesto in place of the pesto in my zoodle recipe.
• You can substitute different cheeses or nuts and still get a similar flavor profile, just make sure they don't out shine the bite and earthiness of the lemon balm.
• Instead of macadamia nuts, you can use pine nuts like what are used in traditional basil pesto. Additionally, you can also use sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.
• For an extra burst of lemon, add some lemon zest.
• You can make this a citrus balm pesto by adding in some orange slices to the food processor.
• The avocado oil can be swapped out for olive oil.
• You could also use parmesan cheese with your fresh herbs but I like the way the provolone really lets the lemon flavor shine through.
• If you don't have a food processor, you can use a hand blender or mix by hand.

Can I make vegan pesto?

Certainly! Instead of adding cheese, limit it and add some nutritional yeast to bring that cheesy creamy flavor that you would get from the original pesto ingredients.

If you're looking for more great recipes, like this lemon balm pesto, then you must try this Pesto Pasta Salad and this Arugula Pesto with Provolone and Pistachios.

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