Italian Pistachio Pesto
With only 5 main ingredients, make a batch of authentic Italian pistachio pesto. This is the perfect sauce to use for sandwiches, pasta, or as a garnish.
Servings: 5 servings (1 ¼ cups or 335 grams)
Calories: 371kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup shelled, roasted pistachios
- 2 cups packed basil leaves
- ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- peel of 1 lemon (about 1.3 grams)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- finely ground black pepper to taste
- Morton kosher salt to taste
- water as needed
Instructions
- Blend pistachios in a food processor on high until finely chopped.
- Add basil, parmesan cheese, lemon peel, and lemon juice. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while the processor runs on high speed until a paste consistency forms. Taste and add pepper and salt to taste, as needed.
- Check the texture and add 1 tablespoon (14 grams) of water at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
Notes
Desired Consistency: I like to keep the pesto thicker if I’m using it as a sandwich spread or for pasta (since it will be thinned out with pasta water). However, if you’re using it as a garnish or sauce, you can make it a thinner consistency.
If you use salted pistachios, you may not need to add additional salt.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 371kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 161mg | Potassium: 293mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 687IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 162mg | Iron: 1mg
