This has definitely happened to you before: you want pesto sauce but you have no basil. You bought basil last week but it went bad two days ago because you forgot about it. No? Only me? Ok. Well, don’t worry, I fixed it for you. 

What you’ll need: 🔪

• 2 cups of parsley, chopped
• 1 cup of cilantro, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons of lemon zest plus extra to garnish
• 2 cups of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup pistachios (or any other nut, these are the ones I had on hand)
• 1/4 cup hemp seeds
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese or pecorino romano
• 2 teaspoons of kosher salt (to taste)
• pepper to taste
• Whatever pasta your heart desires, I used Gemelli

Method: 🥄

In a food processor, first put in the parsley, cilantro, garlic, lemon zest, and olive oil and blitz them until you have a chunky paste. Add the nuts, cheese, salt, and pepper and continue to blitz until you have a smooth paste. If the paste is too chunky, add more olive oil and a squeeze of lemon (about a teaspoon). Once the paste is smooth and doesn’t have any lump bits, transfer it into a bowl and let it rest for about 15-20 minutes. 

In a pot, boil enough water for your pasta to be thoroughly covered. Boil the pasta according to its directions on the package. When the pasta is al-dente, strain it and put it back into the pot. Add the pesto and stir. Transfer to a plate and enjoy!