Respecting the seasonality of vegetables is very important to me and, for this reason, at the end of spring I love making asparagus and pistachio pesto. It is a variation of the classic pesto with a delicate nuance, suitable for first courses but not only. As you’ll see, I also use it a lot with aperitifs or appetizers, pairing it with different preparations. For this pesto in particular, I gave a touch of the Tuscia area thanks to the Presciuttini Oil that I received for the DivinMangiandoinTour 2025 challenge thanks to Slow Food Viterbo and Tuscia and the Municipality of Tarquinia. This oil is produced from the recovery of 3,000 olive trees of the Canino, Moraiolo and Leccino cultivars, without the use of chemical products and with respect for the environment. You can taste the difference in my pesto! So, if you want to try a special pesto, come with me and let’s make it together—just a food processor is needed (in my case a Bimby)!
For other types of pesto, take a look at these links!
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 14People
- Cooking methods: No-cook
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Spring, Summer
Ingredients
- 8 oz asparagus (cleaned, net weight (about one bunch))
- 1 cup basil
- 2 oz unsalted pistachios (net weight)
- 2 oz peeled almonds
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano (grated)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (Presciuttini)
- 1 tsp fine salt
Tools
- 1 Food processor
- 2 Jars
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Frying pan
Steps
Making asparagus and pistachio pesto is really easy and quick. Before putting all the ingredients together you need to take care of the asparagus by cooking them briefly. Let’s see how to make this excellent pesto!
In a bowl, break the asparagus by snapping off the toughest end. I don’t use a knife because gently snapping them makes the woody part come off by itself. Alternatively, cut off the tough part with a knife. Wash the asparagus and cut them into pieces on a cutting board.
Place the asparagus in a pan with the garlic clove cut into pieces, a little of the oil from the recipe and a small cup of water. Turn the heat to low and cook for a maximum of 5 minutes, until the water is absorbed. They should still be slightly crisp. Turn off the heat and let them cool.
In the bowl of the food processor (I use my Bimby TM31), put the basil leaves.
Add the cooled asparagus (if you prefer, you can remove the garlic used for cooking them).
In a bowl, earlier, we will have prepared the nuts.
Pour the pistachios and almonds into the bowl, close it and run the processor at high speed for 20–30 seconds. I used speed 7 on the Bimby.
Scrape down the chopped vegetables and nuts from the bottom with a spatula and add the two cheeses.
Add half of the oil, close the bowl and blend. It will begin to come together nicely.
To emulsify well, add the remaining oil.
Run at the highest speed for a few seconds to emulsify the mixture. The asparagus and pistachio pesto is ready!
The asparagus and pistachio pesto is ready! I transferred it into two glass jars, covering it with additional oil. After letting it rest in the fridge, sealed tightly for a couple of hours, the flavors will stabilize and it will be ready to use!
The most classic way to use asparagus and pistachio pesto is, of course, with pasta. But I often add a pesto as a dipping sauce for the flatbreads I serve to my guests when I run cooking classes, always according to seasonality, and I must say it is very popular. This one, in particular, was loved a lot!
Asparagus and pistachio pesto keeps in an airtight jar, covered with oil, in the refrigerator for two to three days. In the right season it is an excellent alternative to classic basil and pine nut pesto. If you try it, tell me on Instagram!
FAQ (Questions & Answers)
Can I freeze asparagus and pistachio pesto?
Freezing the pesto is a great idea. I used small plastic containers to portion it so it’s always fresh and in optimal condition. However, it should not be kept in the freezer for more than one month.What nuts can I use instead of pistachios?
This pesto also works well made with only almonds or half almonds and half cashews, or almonds and pine nuts. Making it with only pistachios might make it too “sweet”.Can I make a vegan version of asparagus and pistachio pesto?
In this pesto it is possible to replace the animal-based cheeses with nutritional yeast or aged vegan “cheeses” which are now available in many supermarkets. My advice, however, is to split the 3.5 oz (~100 g) of cheese called for in the recipe, leaving half of it as nutritional yeast to maintain texture.
