This basil pistachio pesto recipe is a home run! Pistachios add incredible rich flavor to pesto. This basil pesto recipe will make a great pesto pasta recipe! I used Parmesan in this recipe but try Asiago or Romano. Make it your own!
Here’s how to make the pesto!
What is pesto?
What is pesto? Well traditional pesto is a basil-based sauce that originated in Genoa, the capital of Liguria, Italy. Traditional pesto is made with basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, salt, and Parmesan . You can use another type of hard Italian cheese, such as Pecorino. Pesto traditionally is be made with a mortar and pestle. These days you may be using a food processor to make pesto, which means that you can incorporate herbs or vegetables that may be tougher than basil, like kale, into pesto.
The ingredients for basil pistachio pesto
Basil, olive oil, parmesan cheese, pistachios, and garlic are the only ingredients in this recipe. They are ingredients that can be substituted very easily! The cheese can be substituted for asiago or fontina cheese, walnuts or pine nuts for the pistachios, and parsley for the basil. It is easy to make pesto many different ways!
Combining the ingredients
Whether using a mortar and pestle, a food processor, or a blender, the ingredients come together with no difficulty. Start with the basil and the garlic cloves. Once they are processed then add everything else but the olive oil. The olive oil is saved for last. The olive oil will help you get the consistency you want. The more you make pesto the more you can adjust the amounts and types of ingredients to make the pesto you enjoy most.
The basil pistachio pesto goes great with my fresh pasta recipe! Just make the pasta and add as much pesto as you like! You can add other meats or veggies too!
There are other great sauces and dressings on my site! Click here to try them!
Ingredients
- 1 cup of fresh basil leaves
- 1/3 cup of shelled pistachios
- 2 large cloves of chopped garlic
- 1 cup of shredded Parmesan
- 1/4 cup or more of olive oil see notes
Instructions
- Add basil, pistachios, and garlic to food processor and pulse until combined.
- Add Parmesan and pulse a few times more.
- Scrape sides of food processor bowl down.
- While the food processor is running, add olive oil to bowl in a fine stream until desired consistency is achieved.
