Pistachio Pesto

A glass jar filled with vibrant green pesto sauce sits on a white surface, hinting at the perfect base for a delicious pesto chicken parmesan, with a bowl of pistachios blurred in the background.

5 from 6 votes

This easy pistachio pesto swaps pine nuts for roasted pistachios, giving it a rich, nutty flavor with just a hint of sweetness.

Prep Time10

Course: condiment, dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Calories: 100kcal

Author: Agnieszka

Equipment

1 Food processor

Ingredients

⅔ cup shelled pistachios raw or roasted
2 cups fresh basil leaves packed
2 cloves garlic see Note 2
1.5 oz parmesan cheese or pecorino romano, in small chunks or grated
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup olive oil extra virgin

Instructions

Add the pistachios, peeled garlic cloves, Parmesan cheese, and salt to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times until everything is finely chopped. The texture should be coarse and crumbly—you're aiming for small, even pieces, not a smooth paste, and definitely no large chunks of nuts.
Add basil leaves and half of the olive oil (¼ cup). Process until thick paste forms.
With the food processor going, slowly pour in the remaining olive oil to help emulsify.
If the pesto looks very thick, add a little more oil.
Transfer to a jar, close the lid and store in the fridge until ready to use.

Notes

Note 1: I used raw pistachios but if you prefer, shelled roasted & salted pistachios will also work. You may want to reduce salt to ½ teaspoon if using salted pistachios.

Note 2: If you like a more pronounced garlic flavor, increase the amount to 3-4 cloves.

Note 3: Store the pesto in a small jar with a thin layer or olive oil on top - this will keep it fresh and bright green. You can keep it in the fridge for up to a week.

Note 4: If you're making classic pesto pasta, make sure to reserve some pasta water and toss it with the pasta and pesto to loosen the sauce. It works like a charm!

Nutrition