Quick Pistachio Nut Pesto Sauce with Basil
Pistachios are a really popular nut in Sicily and one that is used to make an amazing pesto. This creamy pistachio pesto recipe includes basil which adds an earthy sweet flavor that happily enhances the salty, sweetness of the pistachios. Get ready to be eating a simple pasta dinner in under 20 minutes!Makes about 1 cup of pesto to sauce/coat approx 1 lb of pasta.
Servings 4
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups of basil leaves stems removed
- 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic peeled
- 3 Tablespoons pistachio meats I buy them toasted from Trader Joe's
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2-3 T softened butter
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Place the basil, salt, pepper, whole cloves of garlic and pistachios in the medium sized bowl of a food processor or mini prep. Pulse about 5-7 times to chop the basil and garlic. Then, turn the machine on and pour the oil in slowly through the feed tube at the top. Stop when you have a thick sauce, about 30 seconds or so.2 cups of basil leaves, 1-2 teaspoons kosher salt, 2 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 3 Tablespoons pistachio meats, ⅓ cup olive oil
- Remove the pesto to a medium bowl and add in butter and parmesan cheese. Use a bar muddler to press the cheese and butter into the pesto. This should be really easy especially if the butter is softened as noted above.2-3 T softened butter, ½ cup Parmesan cheese
If using right away with pasta
- Add pasta water as needed to make a thinner sauce as desired. Toss with hot cooked pasta. Add to a warmed bowl (you can use pasta water to warm the bowl or place bowl over hot pan if still warm from cooking pasta).
Notes
Storage Suggestions and Tips
- Refrigerate in an airtight container with a lid for up to 4 days.
- Freeze small portions in ice cube trays (Souper Cubes are awesome too!) so you can have pesto all year long.
- Defrost in the fridge or at room temperature and stir to blend before using.
- Use roasted and salted sunflower seeds in place of nuts.
- You can use the same base recipe for a classic pine nut pesto or make a pesto with walnuts.
- Other herbs or green to use in pesto are spinach, kale (stems removed) and arugula.
- Never heat pesto directly on the stove. Heat isn't pesto's friend. Toss cold or room temperature fresh pesto with hot pasta.
- Limit pesto's exposure to air by either using immediately or storing covered in an airtight container.
- Press a layer of plastic wrap directly on top of pesto before covering with an airtight, hard lid.
- Freeze as soon as possible if freezing is your intention.
