Pistachio Pesto is one of my favorite condiments to make from scratch. It’s perfect on pasta, spooned over warmed Brie, swirled into hummus and much more!
Summer is in full swing and I’m overjoyed with the amount of fresh produce we have available. I add fresh herbs to just about every recipe, as they instantly make that dish more flavorful. From soups, salads and even sandwiches… you can’t go wrong with adding a pop of green.
HOW TO MAKE PISTACHIO PESTO:
Traditional pesto is made with fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan cheese and extra-virgin olive oil. Today we’re mixing things up and subbing the pine nuts for roasted pistachios! I love the extra nuttiness, it’s completely addicting. With a food processor, this recipe comes together in just two steps!
- Pulse the basil, garlic, pistachios and parmesan cheese in the food processor until a paste starts to form.
- Drizzle olive oil into the food processor with the blade running. Depending on how thick you like your hummus, you can add more or less olive oil than what’s listed in this recipe. Pesto can also be thinned with a splash of water, if preferred.
- Season with salt and pepper. Taste, and adjust seasonings accordingly.
Seriously, that’s it! Wasn’t that crazy easy? Serve immediately with whatever your little heart desires. Store leftovers in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days.
OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE:
Grilled Corn with Cilantro Cowboy Butter
- 3 cups Fresh Basil Leaves, lightly-packed
- ⅔ cup Shelled Roasted Pistachios
- 3 Cloves Garlic
- ½ cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
- ½ - ¾ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly Cracked Black Pepper, to taste
- Pulse together the basil, pistachios, garlic and parmesan cheese in the food processor until finely chopped and a paste forms.
- While the blade is still running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until you've reached your desired consistency.
- Serve immediately. Store leftovers, in a sealed container, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
NOTES ON PISTACHIO PESTO:
- To keep things light, I’ll often stick to the 1/2 cup Olive Oil. This creates a thick pesto, which is what I personally enjoy. However, if I want to thin it out more I’ll use water or lemon juice. The lemon juice adds a bright acidity which is really tasty. Give it a try!
- Salt and pepper are listed “to taste”. I’ll typically use about 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. black pepper. Some salts are saltier than others, so add a little bit at a time, taste, and add more if needed. Sometimes I like to add red pepper flakes as well!
- This pesto is not as bright green as other varieties, due to the fact that I used ROASTED pistachios. If you’re looking for that bright green presentation, I’d suggest using raw pistachios. I love the extra toasty flavor from roasted nuts, but both varieties work fantastic in this recipe.
PIN THIS FOR LATER:
I love this idea more than using Pine nuts!
I love pesto and pistachios so this is definitely a winner for me!! Looks delicious!
Thanks so much! One of our favorite spins on pesto. Hope you can try it soon! 🙂