Mint pesto is a refreshing twist on the original and delicious with lamb, on pasta, or with roast veggies.

Complete the meal with a roasted rack of lamb and Italian roasted cauliflower. And if you love unique pesto recipes, also try our 5-minute creamy pesto sauce!

Mint pesto in a glass jar with a spoon.

While we love a classic basil pesto, this mint version is a dreamy change from the original.

It's light and refreshing with beautiful, bright flavors. A don't worry about it being overly minty; it's not. It has just the right amount of mint to make it interesting without being overwhelming.

We make our mint pesto with pistachios to keep the green theme going. But you can easily use pine nuts, cashews, or almonds instead.

2 pictures showing how to make mint pesto.

How to make this mint pesto recipe

Making mint pesto is incredibly easy!

  1. Put the ingredients into your blender (or food processor, if that's what you have!)
  2. Now blend until it's mostly smooth. We like ours a tiny bit chunky so we blend it on medium speed.

Full recipe instructions in the recipe card below.

Should I blanch the mint and parsley?

No, blanching the mint is not necessary. The parsley is what gives the mint pesto its bright green color (just like in our creamy pesto sauce recipe) and it will stay the same beautiful color for days.

Mint pesto in a blender with a wooden spoon.

How long does mint pesto last?

This pesto recipe will keep well for 3-4 days in a jar in your fridge. It will be safe to eat for a few more days, but the flavor and color won't be as fresh tasting.

Mint pesto variations

  • Switch the nuts. While we love using green pistachios in this recipe, you can use other nuts instead. Cashews, pine nuts, and almonds all work great.
  • Make it dairy-free. Skip the parmesan for a lighter flavored pesto.
  • Give it a stronger mint flavor. For a mintier flavor (but less brightly colored) pesto, use all mint.

How to use mint pesto

Much like a regular pesto, this one can be used in all sorts of ways. Here's a few we like best:

  • With lamb. It's a wonderful change to the usual mint jelly.
  • On roasted root veggies.
  • With our Italian roasted cauliflower.
  • Spread on a piece of crusty sourdough bread.
  • As a dip for raw veggies.
A spoon scooping some mint pesto out of a glass jar.

More Pesto Recipes

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Mint pesto in a glass jar with a spoon.

Mint Pesto

  • Author: Kristen Stevens
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 0 mins
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 1 cup 1x
  • Category: Sauce
  • Method: Blender
  • Cuisine: North American
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Description

Mint pesto is a refreshing twist on the original and delicious with lamb, on pasta, or with roast veggies. 

Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 cups lightly packed mint
  • 1 cup lightly packed parsley
  • ¼ cup salted, roasted pistachios (see notes)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 small garlic clove, smashed
  • 4–6 tablespoons cold water

Instructions

  1. Add the mint, parsley, pistachios, lemon juice, parmesan cheese, garlic, and 4 tablespoons of cold water to your blender. 
  2. Blend on medium speed (see notes) until the pesto is mostly smooth. Add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if needed to thin the pesto and help it blend. 

Notes

Using pre-shelled pistachios can make the pesto a tiny bit darker as they're not as bright green as the ones roasted in the shell. 

If you have a high-powered blender, use medium speed. If you have a regular blender, you'll want to blend it on high speed. 

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Mint pesto in a glass jar with a spoon and the recipe title on top of the picture.