Pistachio pesto is a take on the classic basil pesto, made with pistachios, basil, pecorino, parmesan, garlic and olive oil! It only takes 5 minutes to make, and is perfect on pasta, crostini, and so many other things!
Pistachio pesto is like basil pesto, but the reverse. A classic basil pesto uses tons of basil, and a few nuts (usually pine nuts, but pistachios can also be used), but a pistachio pesto uses tons of pistachios and just a bit of basil. If you're looking for a pesto with less nuts, definitely give this arugula pesto a try.
The result is a deliciously nutty sauce that pairs well with crostini, on pasta, on pizza, or anywhere you would use pesto! I especially like it on these mortadella and burrata crostini.
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📋 Ingredients
- Pistachios - the bulk of this recipe is pistachios. For this recipe, you can remove the peel from the pistachios, or keep them on.
- Basil - it's added to give a bit of brightness and freshness to the pesto but it's not the main character
- Garlic - just a little so it doesn't overpower
- Parmesan cheese
- Pecorino cheese - adds a nice bite
- Olive oil
- Salt
♨️ How to make it - step by step
Add pistachios, basil, permesan, pecorino, garlic, and half the olive oil to a food processor (photo 1)
Process in the food processor until ingredients start to blend together, about 1 minute.
Add the rest of the olive oil, salt to taste, and continue processing until a smooth consistency is reached. Your pistachio pesto is ready! (photo 2)
🍝 How to use it
You can use this pistachio pesto in so many things!
- On pasta - simply boil your favorite pasta, add it to a bowl, and add the pesto on top. Add some pasta cooking water to thin the pesto out and mix!
- On pizza - Add it to your favorite pizza for extra flavor
- Add it to eggs in the morning
- Spread on crostini
- Toss or top veggies
💭 FAQs
Pesto means "beaten" in Italian, so really, pesto can be made with almost anything, as long as it's beaten into a sauce.
Of course the most common pesto is a basil pesto with pine nuts, but there's sun dried tomato pesto, arugula pesto, zucchini pesto, and of course pistachio pesto, and many more!
To peel the pistachios or not?
To make this pesto, you have the option to peel the pistachios, or leave the peels on. Leaving the peels on gives the pesto a gritty texture, and in my opinion, a bit more flavor. It will be darker in color than if you peel the pistachios.
If you choose to peel the pistachios, you need to boil them for 5 minutes. Remove them from the water and squeeze each pistachio between your fingers and the peel will come right off. The resulting pesto will be smoother and lighter in color than leaving the pistachios unpeeled.
🔪How to store/How long it will last
In the fridge:
Put pesto in an airtight container and top with a bit more olive oil. Place in the fridge for up to 3 days.
In the freezer:
Put pesto in an airtight container and place in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to use, thaw completely in the fridge.
👩🏻🍳 Top tips
- Judge how much oil to add based on how you like your pesto. If you like it more chunky, only add ½ cup. If you like it more smooth, add ¾ cups
- Optional: you can remove the peel of the pistachios by letting water come to a boil in a sauce pan, adding the pistachios in, and letting them boil for 5 minutes. Remove from water, and now they will be easy to peel. Remove the peel from the pistachios by squeezing them between your fingers, and follow the recipe from here.
- This recipe only calls for a ¼ clove of garlic so that it won't overpower the pesto, but if you'd like to add more you definitely can.
More pesto recipes
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Recipe
Pistachio Pesto
Pistachio pesto is a take on the classic basil pesto, made with pistachios, basil, pecorino, parmesan, garlic and olive oil! It only takes 5 minutes to make, and is perfect on pasta, crostini, and so many other things!
Ingredients
- 1 cup shelled, unsalted raw pistachios not roasted
- ¼ cup fresh basil
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup grated pecorino romano
- ¼ clove garlic
- ½ or ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt to taste
Instructions
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Add pistachios, basil, permesan, pecorino, garlic, and half the olive oil to a food processor.
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Process in the food processor until ingredients start to blend together, about 1 minute.
-
Add the rest of the olive oil, salt to taste, and continue processing until a smooth consistency is reached. Your pistachio pesto is ready! Use on crostini, your favorite pasta, or anywhere you use pesto!
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- Judge how much oil to add based on how you like your pesto. If you like it more chunky, only add ½ cup. If you like it more smooth, add ¾ cups
- Optional: you can remove the peel of the pistachios by letting water come to a boil in a sauce pan, adding the pistachios in, and letting them boil for 5 minutes. Remove from water, and now they will be easy to peel. Remove the peel from the pistachios by squeezing them between your fingers, and follow the recipe from here.
- This recipe only calls for a ¼ clove of garlic so that it won't overpower the pesto, but if you'd like to add more you definitely can.
