The combination of fresh basil, roasted pistachios, and garlic is absolutely heavenly, and the creamy avocado dressing takes this dish to the next level. Plus, this recipe is gluten-free and incredibly healthy.
Boil 5 cups of water and pour them into a medium bowl on the pistachios. Let them soak for at least 15 minutes.
Peel the pistachios.
Toast pistachio (only if using untoasted kernels) and garlic. In a skillet on medium-low heat, toast the pistachios and the garlic cloves. Don't let them burn. If you consume your pesto immediately with pasta, set the water to boil with salt, cook the pasta according to the package directions, and save some of the starchy pasta water, which will come in handy to stir the pesto. Make sure the pasta is not overcooked, as you will finish the cooking with the pesto, and you don't want it to turn out soggy.If using toasted pistachios, make sure you briefly toast the garlic cloves, cutting the middle to make it faster. This way, the garlic won't overpower the pistachios' delicate flavor.
Blend. Put all the ingredients in the food processor, or you can also use a small blender. Blend for 2-3 minutes until you reach the desired consistency. Traditional pesto is made with pestle and mortar, so it is meant to have some texture. I like to leave my pesto chunky, but you can blend it for longer if you want a more creamy consistency.
Adjust with water for fluidness or nutritional yeast for thickness.
Serve. In the same pot where you cooked the pasta add just a little of the cooking water on low heat, followed by a couple of scoops of the pesto and the cooked pasta. Mix gently and serve hot.
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Notes
You can adjust how creamy or fluid you want the pesto by adding some more water or olive oil. This one is a thick version.TipYou can pre-cook for 2 minutes the garlic cloves together with the pistachios on a skillet to make them flavorless pungent.To reheat cooked pasta with pesto, always add some water to bring the creaminess back.