Pistachio Pesto - A Twist On The Traditional Pesto Recipe. You'll Be Hooked! (2024)

FAQs

What is pistachio pesto used for? ›

Pistachio pesto is the perfect condiment to dress a first course with prawns, a gluten-free pasta or fantastic lasagna! Of course it can also be enjoyed spread on crunchy toasted bread to be served as appetizing appetizers.

Many pesto recipes call for raw pine nuts, but toasting the nuts can make the final sauce's flavor deeper and richer. Toast the nuts and then combine them—either as a paste or whole—with fresh basil, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and garlic.

Pesto is traditionally served with trofie or trenette pasta or potato gnocchi, but you can serve it with whatever type of pasta you prefer, long or short.

Pistachios. Pistachios make for a unique pesto sauce that is absolutely delicious and has a vibrant color. Pistachios have a sweeter taste than pine nuts, so the flavor will be different but tasty in its own way.

A typical serving of pesto provides only small amounts of vitamins and minerals. Still, it's a good source of antioxidants from basil, olive oil, and nuts. Antioxidants can help protect your cells and DNA from oxidative damage ( 3 , 4 ).

Add a pinch of salt if the basil tastes too bitter or the pesto needs more zing. Add more Parmesan if you'd like a creamier/cheesier pesto. If desired, you can thin out the pesto with more olive oil.

The most common reason for pesto tasting bitter is that the olive oil is past its best and has started to turn rancid. If the pesto has been made in a food processor or blender, there's also the possibility that it has turned bitter from the crude, sheering action of the blades.

The key nut ingredient in pesto sauce is typically pine nuts, renowned for their distinct nutty taste. They are combined with fresh basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil to craft the signature flavor of pesto.

Once opened, a jar of pesto lasts in the fridge for three days without any dramatic loss of quality. It will be perfectly safe for another two days, but leave it any longer, and its quality will decline to the point that it will no longer be enjoyable to eat.

Accompaniments. Pesto is commonly used on pasta, traditionally with mandilli de sæa ("silk handkerchiefs" in the Genoese dialect), trofie or trenette. Potatoes and string beans are also traditionally added to the dish, boiled in the same pot in which the pasta has been cooked.

Can you eat pesto straight from the jar? ›

Yes, pesto can be used straight from the jar and doesn't require cooking or heating. In fact, we actively discourage applying too much heat to pesto, as this will destroy many of the fresh flavours that producers work so hard to retain.

You'll want to be mindful of the sodium content. Some jars have more than 500mg per serving and the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines recommend you eat no more than 2,300mg per day. It would be hard to stay within those guidelines if you get more than 20% of your sodium from pesto.

FAQ: How Long Does Homemade Pesto Last? You can store this basil pesto in a jar or sealable container, then tightly seal and refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 2–3 months. Let it thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Pistachio Pesto Ingredients:

Shelled Pistachios: Don't worry, if yours have shells on them, it'll only take about 5 minutes to pop them off. Parmesan Cheese: Freshly and finely grated (you can use pre-grated cheese to save a step, but will need a bit more since it's not as flavorful) Garlic: Always.

Cashews resemble pine nuts in color, texture and mild sweetness, and can be used as a substitute in just about any recipe. Stick to unsalted versions (roasted or raw varieties both work), and toast them to provide extra depth of flavor.

Ready-made pistachio pesto, how to combine it

In particular, it is delicious together with cherry tomatoes but also with prawns, with which it creates intriguing sauces for paccheri and spaghetti . It goes well with puff pastry , with which you can prepare appetizers for the aperitif, and with speck or bacon.

Store in a cool and dry place, away from light. After opening keep refrigerated and use within 3-4 days.

You can eat it in the morning on a slice of toast, spread it inside a fragrant croissant, or use it to personalize a whole array of desserts – pistachio spread is a real treat! And it's so easy to make at home using Andrea Tortora's recipe.