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Nothing beats the flavor of homemade pesto! For a delicious twist, trying using pistachios instead of the traditional pine nuts. This pistachio pesto is SO GOOD, super simple to make (just 5 minutes!) and incredibly versatile.
4 Reasons To Love This Pistachio Pesto Recipe
- Super delicious: The taste of homemade pesto is unbeatable! It’s so fresh and delicious – beats store bought hands down! This recipe is a bit of a twist on a traditional pesto, using pistachios instead of pine nuts. The pistachios give the pesto a rich, nutty, subtle sweetness that I absolutely love. If you are looking for more pesto variations, try this Sage Pesto too!
- Easy to make: Ready in just 5 minutes! The food processor does all the work – you just need to add the ingredients.
- Amazing way to use basil: Is your herb garden exploding with basil? This pesto recipe is a delicious way to use up some of that fresh basil. It’s also a great way to preserve that basil to enjoy later since it freezes well too!
- Incredibly versatile: There are so many ways to enjoy this pistachio pesto – from pasta to pizza to sandwiches and much more! See the Ways To Use Pistachio Pesto section for lots of yummy ideas. You’ll want to make a double batch!!
Ingredient Notes
Here’s what you’ll need to make this homemade pistachio pesto recipe…
Detailed ingredient list and directions located in the recipe card below.
- Basil: Use fresh basil! Remove the leaves from the stem first.
- Pistachios: Unsalted and shelled.
- Garlic: A must-have for a delicious pesto!
- Parmesan: Use freshly grated parmesan cheese. I recommend grating it yourself. I like to use a coarse microplane grater to quickly grate it.
- Olive Oil: Use a quality extra virgin olive oil that you enjoy the taste of. It plays a big part in the flavor of the pesto.
- Salt & Pepper: Salt and freshly ground black pepper to season the pesto. I like to use this sea salt.
- Lemon Juice: Some fresh lemon juice to add a pop of brightness. It’s optional but I love how it rounds out the flavors.
How To Make Pistachio Pesto
Homemade pesto is super easy to make and this pistachio pesto recipe is no exception!
- Add dry ingredients to the food processor: Add the basil, pistachios, garlic and Parmesan cheese to the bowl of a food processor.
- Pulse dry ingredients: Pulse until finely chopped. This is the food processor that I use and love.
- Drizzle in olive oil: With the food processor running, slowly stream in the olive oil through the pour spout. Pause to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula and then continue running until the mixture is well combined but still has some texture.
- Season and enjoy: Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Enjoy!
Helpful Tips
Make It Easy!
Here are 2 tips for quick and easy pistachio pesto:
- Buy shelled pistachios! Buying pistachios that have already been shelled saves a lot of prep time since they are ready to use.
- Use a food processor! You could make pesto the traditional way with a mortar and pestle but it’s so much easier with a food processor. It quickly combines everything while still leaving some texture (a little texture is key to a great pesto!).
Variations
- Substitute the Parmesan: You could also use another hard Italian cheese like Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano.
- Add some heat: Add a few pinches of crushed red pepper flakes before pulsing.
- Use a mix of herbs/greens: Swap half the basil for parsley, cilantro, spinach or arugula.
- Make it dairy free or vegan: Swap the Parmesan cheese for 1/4 cup nutritional yeast.
- Add a flavor booster: Enhance the Mediterranean flavor with a tablespoon of roasted red peppers or sun-dried tomatoes. You could also add a little lemon zest for an extra hit of citrus flavor.
How To Store
Storage Tips
Store your homemade pistachio pesto in the fridge or the freezer.
- To store in the fridge: Store in a jar or airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. To prevent the top layer from oxidizing and browning, smooth out the top of the pesto and pour a thin layer of olive oil on top to cover the surface.
- To freeze: Pesto freezes so well! My favorite method is to freeze it in small, versatile portions in a silicone ice cube tray or the small Souper Cubes tray. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to a freezer bag or storage container and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Ways To Use Pistachio Pesto
This is such a versatile sauce that can be used in countless ways. Here are a few ideas:
- Toss it with pasta or gnocchi (with a little butter – trust me on this!) for a quick and delicious sauce. Or make this Tuna Pesto Pasta (so good!).
- Use as a pizza topping (would be great on this Puff Pastry Pizza too!).
- Mix some into risotto or drizzle on top. Delicious with this Salmon Risotto or Creamy Pea Risotto.
- Drizzle over grilled or roasted vegetables or potatoes.
- Serve with crostini or bruschetta (great addition to this Burrata Bruschetta!).
- Drizzle it over a tomato salad or this Burrata Caprese.
- Slather it on sandwiches or wraps.
- Drizzle it over grilled, roasted or pan seared meats or seafood as a finishing sauce. E.g. grilled steaks, chicken, salmon, shrimp, cast iron pork tenderloin, etc.
- Spoon it over nourish bowls or grain bowls.
- Drizzle over scrambled eggs or an omelet.
- Mix into soups like this Instant Pot Turkey Soup or this Vegetable Soup.
- Use it as a dip for fresh veggies or bread.
- Mix into mashed potatoes.
FAQ
Traditionally pesto is made with pine nuts whereas pistachio pesto replaces them with pistachios, adding a slightly sweet, nutty flavor profile to the pesto.
If you can only find salted pistachios, simply leave out the salt in the recipe and adjust to taste.
Making homemade pesto is super easy to do in a food processor – it still leaves texture in the pesto and is easy to scrape out afterwards. However, you could also make it the old fashioned way by using a mortar and pestle. Personally, I tend to avoid using my blender for pesto since I find it a pain trying to get all the pesto out afterwards and it can also quickly turn into a smooth puree (pesto should have a bit of texture).
Adding the olive oil in a slow steady stream while the food processor is running helps it to emulsify and keeps it from separating.
Before storing in the fridge, smooth out the top of the pesto and cover the surface with a thin layer of olive oil to prevent it from browning. Alternatively, you could also press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pesto.
More Things To Make With Fresh Herbs
Did you make this pistachio pesto recipe? I would love to hear about it! Please leave me a comment below.
Pistachio Pesto
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Total Time: 5 min
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Food Processor
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
Nothing beats the flavor of homemade pesto! For a delicious twist, trying using pistachios instead of the traditional pine nuts. This pistachio pesto is SO GOOD, super simple to make (just 5 minutes!) and incredibly versatile.
Ingredients
- 3 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 cup pistachios (unsalted and shelled)
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, or more as needed
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, optional
Instructions
- Pulse dry ingredients in food processor: Add the basil, pistachios, garlic and Parmesan cheese to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
- Drizzle in olive oil: With the food processor running, slowly stream in the olive oil. Pause to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula and then continue running until the mixture is well combined but still has some texture.
- Season: Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice (adjust to taste) and enjoy!
Notes
- Food Processor: Making homemade pesto is super easy to do in a food processor – it quickly combines everything while still leaving some texture (a little texture is key to a great pesto!). This is the food processor that I use and love. You could also make it the old fashioned way by using a mortar and pestle. Personally, I tend to avoid using my blender for pesto since I find it a pain trying to scrape all the pesto out afterwards and it can also quickly turn into a smooth puree (pesto should have a bit of texture).
- Olive Oil: Make sure to use a quality extra virgin olive oil that you enjoy the taste of. It plays a big role in the flavor of the pesto.
- To Store: Store in a jar or airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. To prevent the top layer from browning, cover the surface with a thin layer of olive oil.
- To Freeze: My favorite method is to freeze it in small, versatile portions in a silicone ice cube tray or the small Souper Cubes tray. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to a freezer bag or storage container and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Incredibly versatile: There are so many ways to enjoy this pistachio pesto. Check out the Ways To Use Pistachio Pesto section in the post for lots of great ideas!
I love that you posted this recipe! Such great timing because I have a lot of garden basil and I don’t really like pine nuts in pesto. I’ll be making pizza this weekend and one of our favourite flavour combinations is pistachio pesto and mortadella!! So good.
Such a great pizza combination! This homemade pistachio pesto will be perfect! Now I want that pizza too lol.
this pistachio pesto is my new favourite!! It has a great roasted flavour and goes perfectly with EVERYTHING!
I’m so happy to hear that!
I love pistachios! This is the ultimate pesto of the summer! So yummy!
I’m so happy you enjoyed this pistachio pesto!