Add bold flavor to your favorite meals and sides with this easy pistachio pesto recipe. Perfect for pasta, sandwiches, salad, pizza, and crusty bread, the bright and nutty sauce comes together in just 15 minutes for a wonderful twist on classic basil pesto. Try spicy skhug or chimichurri with cilantro next!

If you love pesto but want to switch things up, this simple pistachio pesto recipe is a must-try. It is creamy, nutty, and loaded with the same fresh, herby goodness as traditional pesto but with extra flavor from toasted pistachios. It’s versatile, too—use it as a spread, dip, or toss it with pasta for a quick and satisfying meal.
Key Ingredients
Pistachio pesto is a tasty alternative to classic pesto. It’s fresh, flavorful, and easy to make with just a handful of fresh ingredients. Here’s what you need:
- Pistachios: Toast unsalted, shelled pistachios to bring out their rich flavor. Using unsalted nuts allows you to control the salt in the sauce.
- Garlic: Include two fresh garlic cloves for the best flavor.
- Parmesan Cheese: Grated parmesan enhances the pesto sauce with a savory, nutty taste.
- Spices: Use kosher salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes for balanced seasoning and a touch of heat.
- Lemon: Brighten the sauce with fresh lemon juice and lemon zest from half a lemon.
- Basil: You’ll need about three cups of fresh basil leaves for signature flavor.
- Olive Oil: High-quality extra virgin olive oil gives the creamy sauce a velvety, smooth consistency.
Additions and Substitutions
- Go nutty. Replace the pistachio nuts with pine nuts, walnuts, almonds, hulled sunflower seeds, pecans, pumpkin seeds, or cashews.
- Get in your greens. Don’t have enough basil? That’s okay. Use other leafy greens like kale, arugula, baby spinach, or watercress.
- Experiment with mix-ins. Take the pesto up a notch by including sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, jalapeños, and fresh herbs like mint or cilantro.
- Can I make vegan pistachio pesto? Use nutritional yeast instead of parmesan cheese.
How to Make Pistachio Pesto
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Toast the pistachios in a skillet over low heat for 3-5 minutes.

Step 2: Transfer the pistachios to a food processor with garlic, parmesan, salt, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice. Process until crumbly. Add the parmesan cheese and basil leaves and process to combine.

Step 3: Stir in the olive oil until smooth. Taste and season with salt, and enjoy!


Whip up the pistachio pesto and pair it with one of these dinner favorites!

How to Use Pistachio Pesto Sauce
Homemade pesto is one of those go-to sauces that instantly upgrades any dish. Toss it with pasta to make orzo pesto pasta salad, gluten-free pasta salad, tuna pesto pasta, and pesto ricotta pasta.
Spread the pistachio pesto on pizza dough, sandwiches, or wraps—spinach chicken wraps or turkey egg sandwiches.
Use it to transform thin-cut chicken breasts and flounder, or drizzle the flavorful sauce over your favorite veggies like air fryer broccoli and cauliflower, roasted potatoes, grilled zucchini, or spaghetti squash.
Serve the delicious pesto with burrata Caprese salad, pesto burrata, air fryer paneer, and burrata bruschetta for an easy appetizer. It’s also a perfect dip for crusty bread!
How To Store Pesto
- Refrigerate: Store any leftover pesto in an airtight container for one week. It may thicken once refrigerated because of the olive oil. Remove the sauce from the fridge 30 minutes before serving.
- Freeze: Homemade pesto is one of the best ways to use fresh basil from your garden, and I love freezing mine to use in recipes throughout the year. Divide the pistachio pesto into ice cube trays. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to a freezer bag or container for single-use portions for next time.
- Thaw: Defrost the frozen pesto in the refrigerator overnight.
- Repurpose: Whip up a creamy pesto aioli by blending the pesto with a few simple ingredients, mix it with butter to create flavorful pesto butter, or turn the leftovers into an easy salad dressing. You can also add a spoonful or two to mashed potatoes or Greek yogurt for a quick dip you can serve with vegetable crudite.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does pesto taste like?
Pesto’s bright green color and fresh, herbaceous flavor comes from the basil leaves. Add garlic and parmesan, and you’ve got a rich, savory sauce that’s tough to resist—perfect for pasta, sandwiches, or just about anything!
More Sauce Recipes:

Pistachio Pesto
- ½ cup shelled pistachios, toasted
- 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- lemon juice, ½ lemon, plus ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 3 cups basil leaves, loosely packed
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Toast the pistachios in a skillet over low heat for 3-5 minutes.
- Transfer the pistachios to a food processor with garlic, parmesan, salt, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice. Process until crumbly. Add the parmesan cheese and basil leaves and process to combine.
- Stir in the olive oil until smooth. Taste and season with salt, and enjoy!