5 Minute Pistachio Pesto

This 5-minute pistachio pesto is a fresh and herbaceous twist on a classic pesto recipe. Made in a food processor or blender with fresh basil, sweet pistachios, zippy garlic, and olive oil. It’s the perfect versatile sauce to have on hand for a quick dinner, lunch, or appetizer! Gluten free, vegan, low carb, keto friendly, paleo, and Whole30 compatible.

The best dairy free pistachio pesto

If you’re familiar with NK recipes, you know that we are OBSESSED with sauces & dressings of every kind.

Like this Classic Basil Pesto, Easy Romesco Sauce, or Avocado Herb Green Sauce, this pistachio pesto is as easy to make as it is versatile.

I like to think of a good sauce as kitchen magic. You can make the most basic salad, roasted vegetables, pasta, or protein, add a luscious sauce, and instantly elevate your meal to a whole new level.

My favorite meal prep move is to make a few flavorful sauces over the weekend and tuck them into the refrigerator to add to meals throughout the week.

Which means that no matter how simple your breakfast, lunch, or dinner is, it will not be boring.

Because sometimes simple really is best.

And this green pistachio basil pesto is the perfect example of a simple sauce that goes with almost anything – bringing your meals to instant kitchen rockstar status with just a few healthy ingredients.

Recipe features

• Ready in just 5 minutes. All you have to do to make this pesto is throw a handful of ingredients into the container of your food processor or blend and press the on button! Healthy “fast food” for the win.
•  Versatile and customizable. Pesto is one of the best sauces to customize and can be used in so many different ways. It goes with many kinds of meals, from pasta to pizza to sandwiches!
•  Perfect for meal prep. All you need to do to keep this pesto fresh is top it with a thin layer of olive oil or plastic wrap to keep it from oxidizing and turning brown in the refrigerator. Prepping it for meals throughout the week is a no-brainer!

What is pistachio pesto?

Pistachio pesto is a classic Italian pesto sauce variant usually associated with the Genoese pesto, traditionally made from basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and olive oil.

The difference in pistachio pesto comes with replacing pine nuts with pistachios, adding a unique, slightly sweet, nutty flavor profile to the sauce.

I chose to leave out the parmesan in this recipe to keep it dairy free and vegan.

It can be used in pasta dishes, as a spread, or as a dip. The possibilities are endless!

Ingredients and substitutions

You can find the full list of ingredients, along with measurements, in the recipe card below. These are my ingredient notes and recommendations for easy swaps and substitutions!

This pesto recipe follows the same rules as most pesto recipes.

Fresh herbs + nuts or seeds + garlic + olive oil + salt

Once you understand this equation, you can make pesto in many combinations!

Here are the specific ingredients we’ll be using for this recipe:

Basil 

Fresh basil leaves are the fresh herb I chose to use for this pesto recipe. Basil has a fragrant aroma and a slightly sweet and peppery taste. You could swap half of the basil for another herb or tender green like parsley, spinach, or arugula.

Pistachios

Pistachios make a great alternative to traditional pine nuts in pesto! They add a nutty, slightly sweet flavor and crunch to the sauce. Other nuts or seeds can be used instead. Walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, or almonds are all great options.

Lemon juice

For a bit of brightness. It also helps balance out the richness of the olive oil and nuts.

Garlic

Because no pesto is complete without it!

Salt and pepper

To season the pesto. I always suggest seasoning to taste, though if your pesto lacks flavor, more salt is likely the solution!

Olive oil

To emulsify the pesto and give it a smooth and creamy texture.

Many traditional basil pesto recipes call for parmesan cheese, but because the other ingredients in this recipe already provide such a lovely depth of flavor, I chose to leave it out. If you want to add some cheese, 1/4 cup of parmesan or pecorino would be delicious!

How to make pistachio pesto

Besides making pesto the traditional way with a mortar and pestle, I have found the food processor to be the best tool for the job. It pulses everything together *just so* – bringing the flavors together nicely while maintaining some integrity of the nuts and herbs. If you only have a blender, you can use that too! The only difference is that with a blender, the pesto’s texture will be smoother.

Step 1: Process the dry ingredients

Add all ingredients except olive oil to food processor or blender container and pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped, stopping to scrape down the sides if needed.

If using a blender, you may want to use the tamper to push ingredients into the blades to process.

Step 2: Add the olive oil

With the blades running, add olive oil in a slow stream until pesto is well combined, relatively smooth, and creamy.

Depending on how textured vs. creamy you like your pesto, you can process it for more or less time.

Step 3: Season and serve

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator until ready to use!

How to use pistachio pesto

The first thing I made with this pesto was gluten free pasta with these Garlic Basil Sautéed Shrimp. It was such a good combination of flavors, but there are honestly so many ways you could enjoy it!

That’s the beauty of not only this pesto but ALL pestos!

They can easily be paired with everything from pasta to a clean protein to roasted vegetables.

They’re like the agreeable friend you know you could invite to any party, and everyone would fall in love with them.

If you’re looking for some inspiration, here are a few ideas to get you started:

• For Easy Pesto Pasta
• Instead of vinaigrette in this GF Italian Pasta Salad
• In a caprese salad
• As a base for your favorite pizza
• With Oven Baked Salmon or Pan Seared Shrimp
• With Roasted Sweet Potatoes
• A garnish for cozy White Bean and Kale SoupOn a sandwich
• Stirred into Garlic Aioli

Storage

Once the basil pistachio pesto is made, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. Keeping the pesto in an airtight container is important to prevent it from drying out or becoming discolored.

To keep your pesto from oxidizing and turning brown smooth out the top of the sauce and add a thin layer of olive oil to prevent contact with air. Simply stir the oil into the pesto before using.

Alternatively, you can press a small piece of plastic wrap into the top of the pesto for the same purpose.

If you want to store pesto for longer, it can be frozen for up to six months.

To freeze, transfer the pesto to a freezer-safe container or a resealable plastic bag. Be sure to label the container or bag with the date so you can keep track of how long it has been frozen.

When ready to use the frozen pesto, remove it from the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Once thawed, stir it to recombine any separated oil, and enjoy.

If you enjoyed this recipe, we’d love it if you would take 5 seconds to rate and review it below! It’s also super helpful for other readers if you share any modifications you made to the recipe. 

And thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK. We’re so grateful you’re here!

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