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    Where Is My Spoon > Recipes > Dips and Sauces

    Lovage Pesto

    Published by: Adina May 23, 2022 4 Comments
    Jump to Recipe
    pinterest image with title of lovage pesto.

    This is the best lovage pesto! Try an unusual pesto recipe bursting with fresh flavor, a condiment that goes with anything and makes any dish taste better.

    small jar of pesto with a spoon sticking in it.
    Jump to recipe
    • What is lovage?
    • Recipe ingredients
    • How to make lovage pesto?
    • Good to know!
    • Recipe FAQs
    • How to use it?
    • Recipe
    • Lovage Pesto

    What is lovage?

    Lovage is a perennial plant native to the Mediterranean region. It is easy to cultivate, it grows tall and bushy, and after one or two years, you will have enough leaves to make lovage pesto for the entire neighborhoodโ€ฆ

    Lovage tastes like a mixture of celery and parsley but is more potent; I find it is one of the most aromatic herbs. After working with the plant to make lovage pesto, your hands will smell like lovage for the rest of the day.

    A simple plate of spaghetti with lovage pesto makes an incredible meal, bold, fresh, and unique. Perfect for a quick dinner yet fit to serve to guests.

    Try our creamy and delicious Lovage Soup Recipe, too. And if you like bold homemade pesto, check out the Wild Garlic Pesto or the Lemon Balm Pesto.  

    close up of a bush of lovage.

    Recipe ingredients

    listed ingredients for making lovage pesto with cashews, parmesan and lemon.
    • Lovage leaves: You will need 7 oz/ 200 g leaves. I donโ€™t bother giving you the amount in cups because you will never be able to measure these leaves correctly in a cup. Only measure the leaves after youโ€™ve removed them from the stems.
    • Oil: Preferably neutral-tasting oils like sunflower or canola oil; they allow the lovage taste to shine through. However, a mild olive oil would be fine.
    • Cheese: Parmesan cheese or vegetarian hard cheese.
    • Nuts: Cashew nuts are delicious. However, they can be replaced with other nuts like pine nuts, almonds, or sunflower seeds.

    See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

    How to make lovage pesto?

    collage of two pictures of ingredients for pesto before and after processing in a food processor.
    • Step #1: Place all the ingredients in a food processor.
    • Step #2: Blend until smooth, scraping the walls of the food processor a few times in between.

    Good to know!

    Consistency: This pesto (and most of those I make) is relatively stiff compared to store-bought pesto. Thatโ€™s a good thing; it means the pesto contains less oil, so itโ€™s less fatty and calorie-laden.

    Jar size: Preferably small ones, 150-200 g/ 5-6 oz. I donโ€™t bother buying canning jars for this; I reuse small jars that used to contain commercial pesto, capers, or bread spreads. One pesto jar of this capacity is usually enough for 500 g/ 1 lb of pasta.

    close up of a jar of pesto made with fresh lovage.

    Recipe FAQs

    How to store pesto?

    Refrigerateย the jars; they will be fine for about 2 weeks.
    Freezeย it, and you can enjoy it for at least one year. Defrost the jars in the fridge or on the counter. Defrosted lovage pesto will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.

    What to do with the lovage stems?

    I never discard them. Instead, I freeze them and use them to makeย chicken stock(like in this Romanian chicken soup),ย beef bone broth, orย vegetable stock. Wash and dry them, chop them roughly, and freeze them in freezer bags.

    How to store fresh lovage?

    Wash and dry the leaves and keep them refrigerated in an airtight container. They will be fine for about 4-6 days, but check regularly and discard any leaves that start to get mushy.
    Freeze the chopped leaves in freezer bags; they will keep well for at least 6 months.

    pesto in a jar, half a lemon and fresh lovage leaves on the table.

    How to use it?

    Make pesto pasta, smear it on sandwiches instead of butter, and add it to salad dressing or dips, soups, or scrambled eggs.

    Use it to make:

    • puff pastry nibbles with pesto on the table
      Puff Pastry Nibbles (with Pesto)
    • zucchini with pesto on a plate.
      Zucchini with Pesto
    • roasted vegetable pesto pasta sprinkled with parmesan and with a fork in it.
      Roasted Vegetable Pesto Pasta
    • tuna pesto pasta sprinkled with parmesan in a white bowl seen from above
      Tuna Pesto Pasta

    Do you like this recipe?

    Please leave a good rating in the recipe card below. Stay in touch through social media: Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. Donโ€™t forget to tag #whereismyspoon when you try a recipe!

    Recipe

    overhead view of a jar containing lovage pesto.

    Lovage Pesto

    Incredible lovage pesto! Try an unusual pesto recipe bursting with fresh flavor, a condiment that goes with anything and makes any dish taste better.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Share GrowSaved! Rate
    Course: Dips, Sauces and Dressings
    Cuisine: German
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 1 minute minute
    Servings: 5 small jars (750 g/1.5 lb)
    Calories: 674kcal
    Author: Adina

    Equipment

    • 1 Food processor
    • 5-6 Small jars 150-200 g/ 5-6 oz capacity
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients 

    • 7 oz lovage leaves 200 g, Note 1
    • 1 cup cashew nuts 5.5 oz/ 150 g
    • 1 cup sunflower oil or canola 250 ml, Note 2
    • 5.5 oz Parmesan 150 g, Note 3
    • 2 tablespoons lemon juice more to taste
    • 1 ยฝ teaspoon fine sea salt or Kosher more to taste
    • ยฝ teaspoon ground black pepper Note 4

    Instructions

    • Pick the leaves from the stems and measure the required amount.
      7 oz lovage leaves / 200 g
    • Place about half of the leaves in a food processor; they will probably fill the processor. Process them shortly to make space for the remaining ingredients.
    • Add the remaining leaves, nuts, chopped cheese, oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
      1 cup cashew nuts/ 150 g + 1 cup sunflower oil or canola / 250 ml + 5.5 oz Parmesan / 150 g + 2 tablespoons lemon juice + 1 ยฝ teaspoon fine sea salt or Kosher + ยฝ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • Process until smooth, scraping the walls of the food processor a few times in between.
    • Adjust the taste with more salt, pepper, and lemon juice (if necessary).
    • Transfer to jars.

    Notes

    1. Measurements: Only measure the lovage after removing the leaves from the stems. You will need more or less 2 large bunches.
    2. Oil: I use sunflower or canola oil or a mixture of them. Olive oil is also fine, preferably a lighter sort.
    3. Parmesan is not vegetarian; for a vegetarian pesto, use vegetarian hard cheese. Please use freshly grated cheese, not pre-grated.
    4. Heat: To give the pesto a bit of heat, add some cayenne pepper. I add about โ…› teaspoon but use it to taste.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 674kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 64g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 45g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 1214mg | Potassium: 456mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3605IU | Vitamin C: 56mg | Calcium: 423mg | Iron: 5mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @adinabeck or tag #WhereIsMySpoon!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. M says

      June 10, 2024 at 4:16 am

      5 stars
      I made this last year, and my family and I loved it. Which is great, because my lovage is huge this year. Can't wait to make more.

      Reply
      • Adina says

        June 10, 2024 at 6:34 am

        Hi, I am happy to hear it. I made about 6 jars myself last week and the plant is still large. But we love this pesto too, so I will make more before it's gone.

        Reply
    2. Lisa says

      May 14, 2023 at 9:45 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks for this! I used almonds and olive oil, and skipped the salt and pepper, and this is wonderful stuff. Only disappointment was that what I thought was a huge quantity of leaves only weighed in at 3.5 oz, so a smaller batch than expected. Will have to do another round soon!

      Reply
      • Adina says

        May 15, 2023 at 8:57 am

        I am happy you like it! I planned to make some today as well, the lovage bush in my garden is huge.

        Reply
    5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

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