This Pistachio Pesto is a twist on traditional pesto. It is made with pistachios, pine nuts, arugula, and basil! It is a deliciously flavorful pesto sauce that can be used to elevate many dishes. (This recipe is completely gluten-free)
If you love tasty pestos with a twist, you will definitely want to try our Avocado Pesto next!
The beauty of this recipe is that it is insanely easy, requiring almost no effort, but yielding undeniably fantastic flavor. The only things you need are the ingredients listed below, measuring cups, and a blender. This super easy pesto takes only minutes to make!
There are two ingredients that make this pesto stand out from the rest and give the pesto such a dynamic flavor. The first is the arugula. This delicious green provides us with a peppery, spicy, and herbaceous flavor that, when paired with basil, adds a bit of complexity that is hard to resist! The second ingredient is pistachios. The pistachios compliment the creamy, oily pine nuts and offer a unique, sweet nutty flavor.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- 2 cups Fresh Basil Leaves
- 1 cup Arugula
- 1/2 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan-Reggiano Cheese
- 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/3 cup Pine Nuts
- 1/3 cup Pistachios
- 3 Garlic Cloves
- 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/8 tsp Freshly Ground pepper
Ways To Use This Pistachio Pesto:
- Pesto Crusted Salmon: Cover fresh salmon in pesto sauce and air fry or broil the salmon. The result is tender flavorful salmon with a caramelized pesto crust.
- Pesto Pasta: Use it to make delicious pasta. Boil your favorite noodles and cover them in pesto.
- Sandwich Spread: Instead of mayonnaise, try using pesto as a spread. It adds delicious flavor to any sandwich. I love to add it to my eggplant parm sandwiches or bison burger!
I hope you enjoy the recipe! If you try the recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know what you think in the comments below! Take pictures, tag #goodfoodbaddie, and share them with me on Instagram and Pinterest! I love seeing my recipes come to life in your kitchen.
Creamy Pistachio Pesto
Equipment
- Food Processor or Blender
Ingredients
- 2 cups Fresh Basil Leaves
- 1 cup Arugula
- 1/2 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan-Reggiano Cheese
- 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/3 cup Pine Nuts
- 1/3 cup Pistachios
- 3 Garlic Cloves
- 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/8 tsp Freshly Ground pepper
Instructions
- Combine the basil, arugula, pine nuts, pistachios, and garlic into the blender (or food processor). Blend until ingredients are finely chopped.
- Add the olive oil, salt, and pepper to the mixture and blend on low until smooth.
- Add the parmesan cheese and blend on low until all ingredients are mixed well together. Blend only for 1 minute or less)
- If the consistency is too thick for your liking, feel free to add 1-2 tbsp olive oil and blend.
Notes
- You can sub chopped walnuts for pine nuts to get an even more dynamic flavor
- This recipe makes approx 2 cups of Pesto. You can use 1 cup for pasta, a crust for your fish, or as a chicken marindade. Save the remainder to snack with or for toppings for your favorite salad. This pesto is good with fresh cut veggies, plantain chips, pita bread, or even tortilla chips. And perfect on salads and veggie/grain bowls!
