Best 7 Basil Mint Pesto Recipes

BASIL-MINT PESTO

Steps:

• Chop the basil, mint and nuts coarsely. Add them along with the Parmesan cheese and garlic to a food processor.
• Gradually add the olive oil through the feed tube and process until pesto is well-blended.
• Transfer to bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Cover tightly and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.
• Yield is estimated.

SPINACH AND MINT-BASIL PESTO-STUFFED PORK LOIN

Steps:

• For the pesto: In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, pulse the basil and mint 3 to 4 times or until chopped, then add the pine nuts and salt and pulse an additional 2 to 3 times. Add the garlic and cheese, pulse 2 times. With the food processor running, slowly add the oil to blend, this should take 1 minute. Don't over-pulse or puree; this will result in a brown liquid sauce, not a bright herb pesto.
• For the pork: To butterfly the pork, place each loin on a cutting board and slice lengthwise through the center, about 3 inches deep, but not cutting all the way through, until it opens to form a 10 by 10-inch square.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Season the inside of both loins with salt and pepper and evenly spread the pesto, leaving a 2-inch border on all sides. Sprinkle with feta and top with spinach. Roll tightly lengthwise. With butchers twine, tie several knots around the stuffed loins, 4 to 5 times, to ensure even cooking.
• Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed saute pan over high heat, season the outside of the loins with salt and pepper, and sear on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and place the loins on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

RACK OF LAMB WITH HERB CRUST AND MINT-BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• For the lamb with herb crust: Place the parsley, olive oil, mustard, rosemary, garlic, lemon zest and juice and a generous amount of salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Puree until the mixture becomes a paste. Spread the mixture all over the lamb (try to avoid the bones and get it all on the meat).
• Place the lamb on a rimmed baking sheet bone-side up, and roast until an internal thermometer reaches 130 degrees F for medium rare, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a cutting board, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for about 10 minutes.
• For the mint-basil pesto: While the meat is roasting and resting, place the mint, basil, parsley, lemon juice, honey, garlic and some salt and pepper in a clean food processor bowl. Puree to a paste; scrape down the sides of the food processor once and process again. Transfer to a serving bowl with a small spoon to serve.
• Slice the racks of lamb into either single or double chops. Serve with the pesto passed on the side.

ZUCCHINI PIZZA WITH BASIL MINT PESTO

Steps:

• For the pizza dough: Mix together the flour, salt and yeast in a bowl, then stir in 350 grams (1 1/2 cups) water until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and put it down for an 18- to 24-hour nap at room temperature until it's doubled in sized and bubbling.
• For the pizza toppings: Preheat the grill with a pizza stone over medium-high heat. (If you don't have a pizza stone, you can use a baking sheet.)
• Combine the pine nuts, garlic, basil, mint, crushed red pepper, juice of half a lemon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, a few turns of black pepper and the Parmesan in a food processor and pulse to a coarse crumb. With the processor running, drizzle in the olive oil and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired.
• Divide the pizza dough in half. On a floured pizza peel or baking sheet, flatten out one half of the dough into a 10- to 11-inch round. Spread with a thin layer of the pesto and top with half of the mozzarella. Bring it out to the grill. Grill the zucchini and remaining lemon half on the grates until charred, a few minutes. Add half the zucchini to the pizza and slide it onto the pizza stone. Close the grill and cook until the bottom is browned and cheese is melty, 6 to 9 minutes. Drizzle with more pesto, squeeze with juice from the charred lemon and add more Parmesan, crushed red pepper and basil and serve.
• Repeat with the other half of the pizza dough and ingredients.

ITALIAN VEGETABLE FUSILLI WITH BASIL MINT PESTO

Steps:

• Place pine nuts in a skillet over medium heat. Toast until golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool.
• Combine pine nuts, basil, parsley, mint, and garlic in a food processor or mini chopper; pulse until finely chopped. Add 1 cup olive oil and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese; pulse to incorporate. Season pesto with salt and pepper.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook fusilli in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking water. Wipe out pot.
• Heat remaining 1/4 cup olive oil in the pot over high heat. Add asparagus; season with salt and pepper. Cook until crisp-tender and browned in spots, about 4 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook just until wilted, 3 minutes. Add pesto and fusilli; toss well to coat. Stir in reserved cooking water if pesto looks dry.

SUMMER SQUASH RIBBONS WITH CHERRY TOMATOES AND MINT/BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Using a vegetable peeler, cut squash into lengthwise ribbons. Peel off several ribbons from one side, then turn squash and peel off more ribbons. Continue to turn and peel off ribbons until you get to the seeds at the core of the squash. Discard core. You can also do this on a mandolin, adjusted to a very thin slice.
• Cook squash strips and tomatoes in 2 batches. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and when it is hot, add squash ribbons, half the garlic, tomatoes, and salt to taste. Cook, using tongs to toss and stir squash and cherry tomatoes, for 2 to 3 minutes, until squash has softened and is beginning to become translucent and tomatoes are beginning to shrivel. Adjust salt and add freshly ground pepper to taste, and transfer to a serving dish. Repeat with remaining olive oil, squash, cherry tomatoes and garlic. Return first batch to the pan, stir everything together, heat through and transfer again to the serving bowl or individual plates. Pour any juices in the pan over squash. Top each serving with a spoonful of pesto (about a tablespoon), and serve, with additional freshly grated Parmesan if desired.

ROASTED LOBSTER WITH BASIL-MINT PESTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Blanch basil and mint leaves in large saucepan of boiling water 5 seconds. Drain. Transfer leaves to large bowl of ice water to cool. Drain. Squeeze leaves to remove excess liquid.
• Mince garlic in processor. Add basil and mint leaves, 1/3 cup olive oil, and pine nuts. Puree until pesto is smooth.
• Drop 1 lobster headfirst into large pot of boiling water. Cover; cook 3 minutes (lobster will not be fully cooked). Using tongs, transfer lobster to work surface. Return water to boil. Repeat with remaining lobsters, 1 at a time. Place 1 lobster, shell side down, on work surface. Place tip of large knife in center of lobster. Cut lobster lengthwise in half from center to end of head (knife might not cut through shell), then cut in half from center to end of tail (use poultry shears to cut through shell if necessary). Crack claws. Repeat with remaining lobsters.
• Arrange lobster halves, cut side up, on 2 heavy large baking sheets. Discard head sac and long thin intestinal tract that runs alongside lobster tail meat. Transfer pale green tomalley (liver) from body cavity to pesto in processor. Brush lobster meat with extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper.
• Blend tomalley into pesto. Transfer to medium bowl. Stir in Parmesan cheese and cream, then panko and lemon peel. Season pesto mixture with salt and pepper; divide among lobster halves, filling cavities and covering meat completely.
• Roast lobsters until meat is just cooked through and topping is golden, about 14 minutes. Serve with lemon.
• Available at Asian markets and in the Asian foods section of some supermarkets.