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–+ servings
A small bowl filled with chunky, glossy Toasted Pistachio Pesto sits on a wooden surface, showcasing its vibrant green hue and rustic texture.
This is not your everyday pesto—this is the kind of sauce that makes a simple bowl of pasta feel like a summer evening under the olive trees. The toasted pistachios bring a warm, nutty depth that cozies up beautifully to the brightness of lemon and the lush green of fresh basil. It’s smooth, punchy, and totally addictive.

Toasted Pistachio Pesto

Ingredients 

  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves packed
  • ½ cup pistachios unsalted, shelled
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Zest of ½ lemon
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Prep the nuts (optional but recommended)

  1. Lightly toast the pistachios in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, just until fragrant. Let them cool before using.

Blend the base

  1. In a food processor, combine basil, pistachios, garlic, and lemon zest. Pulse until everything is broken down into a coarse texture.
    A food processor bowl containing fresh basil leaves, garlic cloves, toasted pistachios, and grated cheese, with olive oil being poured in—a perfect start for homemade Toasted Pistachio Pesto on a wooden countertop.

Add cheese and lemon juice

  1. Add Parmesan and lemon juice, then pulse again to combine.
    A food processor containing Pistachio Pesto with shredded Parmesan cheese, chopped herbs, and other ingredients sits on a wooden surface, with the lid and a measuring cup of grated cheese nearby.

Add oil slowly

  1. While the processor is running, stream in the olive oil until the pesto is smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides as needed.
    Overhead view of a food processor filled with vibrant Toasted Pistachio Pesto. The lid is off, and a hand uses a spatula to scrape the sides of the container. The processor sits on a wooden surface.

Season

  1. Taste and season with salt and black pepper to your liking.
    A food processor bowl with metal blades holds a vibrant green pistachio pesto mixture. Grated cheese sits in a glass container nearby, alongside a copper measuring cup and other kitchen tools arranged on a wooden surface.
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