Lemon rind, grana padano, almonds, olive oil, and lemon juice go into a food processor to build this homemade lemon pesto. The finished pesto folds into hot pasta with butter and a fresh squeeze of lemon. One pound of pasta carries the full batch, and the food processor handles all the grinding.
Peeling the lemon rind is what separates a bright pesto from a bitter one. The yellow layer holds the aromatic oils; the white pith directly beneath it is what turns the sauce harsh. A peeler lifts the yellow layer cleanly in one motion, while a box grater drags pith along with the color.
Almonds go into the food processor alone first, pulsed to coarse pieces before any other ingredient joins. Adding lemon rind, cheese, and liquid on top of already-chopped almonds keeps the texture chunky rather than smooth paste. Skipping the separate pulse and processing everything at once loses the almond pieces that make this pesto coat pasta.
Trader Joe’s Lemon Pesto Recipe
Course: DinnersCuisine: Italian-AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings30
minutes40
minutes300
kcalTrader Joe’s Lemon Pesto Recipe made from scratch with lemon rind, grana padano, almonds, olive oil, and butter. Bright homemade version tossed with pasta
Ingredients
- Lemon Pesto
5 lemons, rind only (peel with a vegetable peeler; discard white pith)
1 cup grana padano, freshly grated, plus more for serving
½ to ¾ cup almonds
5 tablespoons lemon juice
½ cup high quality extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
- Pasta
1 lb pasta
5 tablespoons butter
1 lemon, halved and juiced
½ to 1 cup starchy pasta water (reserved from cooking, as needed)
Lemon zest and freshly ground black pepper, for serving
Directions
- Peel the lemon rinds using a vegetable peeler, removing only the yellow layer. Leave the white pith on the lemon; it turns the pesto bitter if included.
- Add almonds to a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the lemon rind, sugar, salt, pepper, and grana padano and pulse until well combined. With the processor running, stream in the lemon juice and olive oil until fully incorporated. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Reserve at least 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining.
- Transfer pasta to a large skillet over low heat, or return it to the same pot. Add the pesto, butter, and the juice of the second lemon. Pour in pasta water a splash at a time, tossing until the sauce coats the pasta evenly.
- Serve topped with extra grated grana padano, lemon zest, and freshly ground black pepper.
FAQs
Can almonds be swapped for pine nuts?
Swap almonds for pine nuts and the texture shifts from chunky toward creamy at the same quantity. The flavor also changes: pine nuts bring a milder, buttery quality where almonds add a slightly denser bite. Start with less pasta water in the finish when using pine nuts, since the creamier paste absorbs liquid differently.
Can the pesto be made ahead and stored?
Made ahead and stored in a sealed jar, the pesto keeps in the refrigerator for up to one week. A thin layer of olive oil pressed over the top prevents the lemon from oxidizing and keeps the color bright. Frozen in an ice cube tray, the pesto gives single-serving portions that thaw in warm pasta in minutes.
What pasta shape works best with this pesto?
Short ridged shapes like rigatoni and fusilli trap pesto in their grooves better than long smooth noodles. The chunky almond pieces also catch better in the ridges of short pasta, delivering more texture per bite. Long noodles still work, but the almond pieces tend to slide off rather than cling to the strand.
What pasta dish pairs naturally with this pesto for a complete lemon dinner?
Two versions of this same dish exist depending on how much time is available on a weeknight. A TJ’s lemon pesto pasta on this site uses the jarred product and cherry tomatoes and comes together in 15 minutes. Together the two cover both approaches to lemon pesto pasta from one TJ’s shopping trip.
What protein pairs naturally with this lemon pesto as a complete dinner?
Lemon pesto works as well over chicken as it does tossed through pasta. A TJ’s pesto chicken breast on this site uses a pesto coating and builds a full dinner alongside this pasta. Together the two form a complete lemon pesto meal from one TJ’s shopping trip.
