Pistachio Pesto Recipe
Love fresh Italian flavors? This Pistachio Pesto recipe swaps pine nuts for crunchy pistachios. Bright green, nutty and perfect on pasta.
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves packed
- 3/4 cup shelled pistachios unsalted
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
Toast Pistachios Lightly
- Place pistachios in dry skillet. Heat medium 2 minutes. Stir often. Golden aroma perfect.
Prep Fresh Basil
- Pick basil leaves from stems. Rinse gently. Pat dry with paper towels. Ready to blend.
Chop Garlic Roughly
- Peel garlic cloves. Smash lightly with knife side. Releases maximum flavor.
Add to Food Processor
- Put basil, pistachios, garlic, lemon zest in processor. Pulse 5-6 times. Chunky texture first.
Add Cheese and Seasonings
- Sprinkle Parmesan, salt, pepper. Pulse 3 more times. Evenly distributed.
Stream in Olive Oil
- Run processor low. Slowly pour olive oil through lid. Creamy emulsion forms.
Add Lemon Juice
- Squeeze fresh lemon juice. Pulse twice. Brightens entire sauce.
Scrape and Taste
- Scrape sides down. Pulse final time. Taste and adjust salt. Perfect!
Transfer to Bowl
- Spoon into serving bowl. Drizzle top with olive oil. Ready to use.
Notes
- Toast pistachios lightly. Deepens nutty flavor.
- Use fresh basil always. No dried substitute.
- Room temp oil blends smoother. No separation.
- Variation: Add arugula for peppery kick.
- Variation: Pecorino instead of Parmesan. Sharper taste.
- Variation: Vegan? Nutritional yeast swap.
- Freeze in ice cube trays. Portion control easy.
- Don't over-process. Keep some texture crunch.