Cilantro & basil pistachio pesto

5 from 4 votes

Cilantro & basil pistachio pesto

Classic pesto gets a twist with the addition of cilantro, pistachios, and miso paste. Its bright, vibrant flavor is wonderful tossed with pasta, slathered on sandwiches, or stirred into rice.

Makes roughly 1 cup of pesto.

Prep Time5

Cook Time5

Total Time10

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: Italian, Vegan

Keyword: dairy free, gluten free

Servings: people

Calories: 163kcal

Author: Cadry Nelson

Ingredients

3 cups fresh basil leaves lightly packed
1 cup fresh cilantro rough stems removed, lightly packed
2 to 3 cloves garlic minced
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup shelled pistachios roasted and salted
2 teaspoons white miso paste
2 to 4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste

Instructions

In a food processor, combine basil, cilantro, garlic, lemon juice, pistachios, and miso paste.
While the food processor is running, drizzle extra virgin olive oil through the chute until it has become a smooth sauce. You may need to stop once or twice to scrape down the sides.
If you like a saucier pesto, go with 4 Tablespoons (¼ cup) of extra virgin olive oil. If you prefer a lighter sauce, use 2 Tablespoons.
Taste and add more salt, if needed. (Go with a light hand at first. Remember, both the miso paste and pistachios are salty.)

Notes

If you're not a fan of cilantro, you can replace it with more fresh basil leaves.

Do not replace fresh basil with dried. Dried basil won't work in a pesto recipe.

How to incorporate pesto with pasta

While the pasta is boiling, reserve some of the noodle cooking liquid.
Drain the pasta, and then add your desired amount of pesto.
Slowly add some of the reserved water to thin the sauce, which will allow it to spread evenly through the noodles. The water has starch in it, which gives the sauce body & helps it cling to the pasta.
Be careful not to go overboard with the water, though. You don’t want it to become watery.

Nutrition