Zesty Avocado Pistachio Pesto is not the first recipe I’ve used pistachios and avocado in. Friends, it won’t be my last. I’ve also got a recipe for Herbed Avocado Aioli because pistachios and avocados do great things together.
Have It Your Way
This recipe is a good base or guide for pesto making.
Oil-Free Instructions:
Sub an extra half to full avocado for the olive oil.
Garlic is optional
Some people like garlic in their pesto. Sometimes I do as well. Adding a little garlic gives this zesty pesto a nice punch if you are in the mood.
Creamy or Rustic?
The more you process, the creamier it will become. Also, using fewer pistachio nuts and adding more water makes it creamier.
For a more rustic pesto, use more pistachio nuts and pulse to a grittier rustic texture.
Have fun with your Zesty Avocado Pistachio Pesto
Feel free to experiment with using more or less of any of the ingredients in this pesto. Sometimes I use more basil when I make pesto. It’s hard to make bad pesto. I recommend starting low on garlic, salt, and oil, but other than that pesto is a great wing-it kind of thing.
Oil
This recipe works well with low smoke point oil such as Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I’ve also made it with avocado oil, which is a high smoke point oil. Neutral flavor oils are recommended.
Heating The Pesto Is Not Recommended
This pesto contains fresh basil and avocado. These things don’t like to be heated up. However, you can add pesto to things that are already hot. I often toss this pesto with hot pasta or spread it on roasted veggies right after I pull them from the oven.
Zesty Avocado Pistachio Pesto Is Fabulous In:
- Pasta dishes topped with 5 Minute Garlic Shake which I put on almost everything. I used this leftover pesto on Kite Hill Vegan Ravioli recently and it was decadent.
- With these Easy Oven-Roasted Marinated Portobellos topped with roasted red peppers.
- On salads or in bowls with roasted sweet potato cubes and quinoa
Let’s make Pesto
Place all ingredients in a small food processor and process to desired consistency. Serve or store.
A Blender also works, but it involves more spatula work and hassles to get it to blend.
Zesty Avocado Pistachio Pesto
Equipment
- Small Food Processor or Blender (the blend might require more spatula work)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Basil leaves packed
- 1 avocado
- ¼ -½ cup pistachio nuts
- 1 ½ TBSPs lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 TBSP water
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in the food processor, process to desired consistency and serve or store.
Notes
Heating The Pesto Is Not Recommended
This pesto contains fresh basil and avocado. These things don’t like to be heated up. However, you can add pesto to things that are already hot. I often toss this pesto with hot pasta or spread it on roasted veggies right after I pull them from the oven.Garlic is optional
Some people like garlic in their pesto, sometimes I do as well. Adding a little garlic gives this zesty pesto a nice punch if you are in the mood.Creamy or Rustic?
The more you process the creamier it will become. Also, using fewer pistachio nuts and adding more water makes it creamier. For a more rustic pesto, use more pistachio nuts and pulse to a grittier rustic texture.Have fun with your pesto
Feel free to experiment with using more or less of any of the ingredients in this pesto. Sometimes I use more basil when I make pesto. It’s hard to make bad pesto. I recommend starting low on garlic, salt, and oil, but other than that pesto is a great wing-it kind of thing. Oil-Free Instructions: Sub an extra avocado for the olive oil. www.planttestkitchen.comNutrition
For your shopping convenience, this post contains affiliate links.
Did you make this Zesty Avocado Pistachio Pesto? Any variations? What did you eat it with? Tell me about in the comments section below.
Recent Comments