Basil Tarragon Pesto Recipe
Learn how to make a Basil Tarragon Pesto recipe for a topping on pasta, fish, chicken, steak, roasted vegetables, pizza, and roasted potatoes!
Friends, pesto is a mouthful of brightness, and this Basil Tarragon Pesto recipe has a bold and flavorful taste of basil, tarragon, pine nuts, and Pecorino Romano cheese!
Basil Tarragon Pesto Recipe
Think outside the box and serve it on Turkey Pesto Super Sub Sandwiches, Pesto Asparagus Caprese Salad Recipe, or this Savory Pesto Mushroom Crepe Recipe. Also delish served over zucchini noodles.
My daughter whipped up a fresh batch of pesto last week, and we’ve been enjoying it on a variety of foods. You can use this homemade pesto for a topping, sauce, or dip!
Buy it in a jar, or in the refrigerator section of your grocery store, or make a homemade recipe.
How to make homemade pesto
Homemade basil pesto is incredibly easy if you have the the right quality ingredients with the right proportions. This time, we took the classic pesto recipe and added tarragon for a unique, delicious flavor.
- Pulse pine nuts in a food processor; scraping down the sides if needed; add garlic and olive oil. Pulse until ingredients are finely chopped in chunks, but not a paste texture—stop and scrape sides with spatula when needed.
- Add the blanched herbs, lemon juice, zest, salt, and pepper and pulse until incorporated—stopping every 15 seconds or so to scrape the sides.
- Add in the large cheese chunks, and pulse until ingredients are finely chopped (but not pasty). Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed, then enjoy on toast, roasted vegetables, pasta, and more!
How to blanch basil and tarragon
It’s optional to blanch the basil and tarragon. You can skip this step and add the herbs into the pesto fresh. [The blanching process helps preserve the vibrant green color of the herbs, making your pesto a more vibrant green.]
The blanching process
- For blanching, boil and add herbs and cook for 15–25 seconds in boiling water.
- Immediately strain with a slotted spoon or fine mesh colander, and move to an ice bath to stop the cooking process.
- Then remove from ice water and place on paper towels.
- Allow excess water to drain, and compile into a ball, and gently squeeze out any extra water. By the end, the ball will be very compact and slightly damp, but not wet.
Use with roasted potatoes
We had our friends over for dinner last weekend and served a smoked flank steak, salad, and yummy over-baked fingerling potatoes that turned out amazing. So flavorful, because after I left them in the oven (I love crunchy potatoes), and forgot about them, I thought they were a little overdone.
They were indeed perfect. And the last 5 minutes I added 1/2 cup of this pesto, which made the flavors pop!
Our guests loved it. And sorry, I didn’t get any pics, but I promise to next time. Honestly, when I’m cooking and getting ready to sit down with our guests, I rarely take pictures because there’s just no time!
How long does homemade pesto last?
Oh, and because everyone asks: Homemade pesto lasts for 4 to 5 days in the fridge.
Happy hosting!
Get the Recipe:
Basil Tarragon Pesto Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
- 2 cups packed basil leaves
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup fresh tarragon
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 cup pecorino Romano cheese, separated into large chunks
- 1/4 tsp salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Optional: Blanch the basil and tarragon. You may skip this step and add the herbs into the pesto fresh. The blanching process helps preserve the vibrant green color of the herbs, making your pesto a more vibrant green.
- In a small pot, bring water to a boil and add herbs. Blanch for 15–25 seconds in boiling water, then immediately strain with a slotted spoon or fine mesh colander, and move to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Remove from ice water and place on paper towels. Allow excess water to drain, then compile into a ball and gently squeeze out any extra water. By the end, the ball will be very compact and slightly damp, but not wet.
- Pulse pine nuts in a food processor until separated into small pieces. Scrape down sides, then add garlic and olive oil. Pulse until ingredients are finely chopped in chunks, but not a paste texture—stop and scrape sides with spatula when needed.
- Add the herbs, lemon juice, zest, salt, and pepper and pulse until incorporated—stopping every 15 seconds or so to scrape the sides.
- Finally, add in the large cheese chunks and pulse until ingredients are finely chopped (but not pasty). Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed, then enjoy on toast, roasted vegetables, pasta, and more!
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
This is my first time making pesto. I have both basil and tarragon in my garden and this came out super delicious. I will make this again and again. I had it over tomatoes and cucumbers. Yum yum!!