By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 8
132 cal · 10 min
Korean Perilla Pesto
Recipe GLPR95e62af8e28ff7
A vibrant, herbaceous pesto made with fresh perilla leaves—a beloved Korean herb with a subtle anise-like flavor. Toasted pine nuts provide richness and texture, while premium olive oil creates a silky sauce perfect for drizzling over grains, vegetables, or using as a dip. This bright, aromatic condiment captures the essence of Korean culinary tradition in a simple, elegant preparation.
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Ingredients
25 leaves Fresh perilla (shiso) leaves
½ cup Toasted pine nuts
2 tablespoons Minced garlic
¾ cup Extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Black pepper
Directions
Rinse the fresh perilla leaves under cool water and pat them completely dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
Place the toasted pine nuts into a food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped but retain some texture—avoid over-processing into a paste.
Add the dried perilla leaves and minced garlic to the food processor. Pulse together until the leaves are finely chopped and combined with the nuts.
With the processor running on low speed, slowly drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil while blending until the pesto reaches your desired consistency—it should be creamy but still maintain some texture.
Transfer the pesto to a bowl and stir in the salt and black pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Serve the pesto immediately, or store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Comments
Perilla is the roadblock: you will not find it at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Publix, Walmart, ALDI, or Kroger in Charlotte. An Asian market trip is mandatory, and that real cost and time burden shapes the recipe's weeknight appeal. Pine nuts are expensive (often $12–18 per pound), which drives the per-serving cost to roughly $2–3 even before the special shopping trip for an herb. The 10-minute statement is honest if you buy pre-minced garlic, but perilla leaves need gentle picking and rinsing. This works beautifully as a sauce for grilled fish or rice, and eight servings mean it keeps well in the fridge for several days, making it worthwhile for meal prep—just accept that you are building a planned shopping trip, not a grab-what-you-have-tonight paste.
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