When you think “pesto,” basil and pine nuts probably come to mind. But we’ve got a surprisingly fantastic alternative that Heather came up with: pistachios! When she made this fantastic combo, I made sure we had some left over to make a pistachio pesto pizza – one of the most flavorful pizzas I’ve ever made!
Join us in this fresh, fragrant diversion from classic pizza flavors with a vibrant green pesto an optional touch of cheese.
The History of Pesto
Pesto originated in Genoa, Italy, as a wonderful blend of fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, and olive oil. But with endless nut options and evolving palates, it was only a matter of time before pistachios found their way into the mix. This pistachio pesto pizza offers a modern take on Italian tradition while staying true to the delicious simplicity of fresh ingredients.
Is Pistachio Pesto Pizza Vegetarian? Vegan?
Yes, our pistachio pesto pizza is vegetarian and can even be vegan, if you skip the cheese or use a vegan cheese. The rich, nutty flavor of the pistachio pesto combined with the crispy Neapolitan pizza crust creates a delicious, satisfying experience all on its own. Especially with some extra, fresh basil on top.
You of course can also use vegan cheese too!
Delight Your Taste Buds with our Pistachio Basil Pesto Pizza
We are always on the look out for more unique, mouth-watering pizza recipes (got any you want to share? Let us know!). Especially something savory with fresh ingredients (in this case fresh basil and lemon juice) that will blow away friends and family when they come for a visit.
This delectable pistachio basil pesto pizza was a collaboration with friends, including A Food Lover’s Kitchen! It’s a fresh twist on classic pizza flavors, featuring a vibrant green pesto made from pistachios and an optional touch of cheese.
I Want Meat!
A great variation on this pizza is to add sliced chicken to the pizza. Another, as used below, mixes in a splash of tomato sauce with the pesto.
Are There Other Ways to Use Pesto on Pizza?
Absolutely! I’ve grown very fond of another way to use pesto on pizza – Detroit style pizza! Just like this version, I like to add a sprinkling of pistachios halfway through the bake for a little extra texture!
Ingredients for Pistachio Pesto Pizza
Ingredients for a 12-inch Pistachio Pesto Pizza:
- 10 ounces of pizza dough
- store-bought, we recommend trying Trader Joe’s pre-made dough
- homemade: to mimic the classic Philly roll, try our Easy Peasy dough recipe
- 3 ounces of fresh pistachio pesto (although you can also use pre-made pesto).
- 0.5 ounces of olive oil
- 0.5 ounces of unsalted (or lightly salted) pistachios, added partway through baking (parbaked)
- Optional: cheese of your choice
How to Make Fresh Pistachio Pesto:
Creating fresh pistachio pesto is simple and gives you the option to tweak it the way you want. We make it with fresh basil from the garden, and it’s unbeatable! It does take a bit of time to separate enough basil leaves from the stems.
I really love A Food Lover’s Kitchen‘s pistachio pesto recipe.
Here’s what you’ll need to make about 6 ounces of pesto (enough for 2 pizzas):
- 1.5 cups of fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 cup of shelled pistachios
- 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese (remove to make this vegan)
- 1-2 cloves of garlic (to taste)
- 1/4 cup of olive oil (preferably extra virgin, but not essential)
- 2 Teaspoons of fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon of Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
Instructions for making Pistachio basil pesto:
- Chop the pistachios: In a food processor, start off with the pistachio so that they have extra time to chop before adding the other ingredients. This will prevent the nuts from clumping too soon. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped.
- Add the remaining ingredients: Now add the basil leaves, grated Parmesan, lemon juice, garlic cloves, salt and pepper. Blend the ingredients – they will start to clump.
- Add the Olive Oil: With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Don’t add more than you need, as it can separate out on the pizza.
- Season: You can add additional salt, and pepper to taste. Blend once more to combine all the flavors.
Assembling Your Pistachio Pesto Pizza
1. Preheat Your Oven
- Preheat your oven to the temperature recommendation of your pizza dough.
2. Prepare Your Dough
- Make sure your dough is at room temperature.
- Stretch or roll out your pizza dough on a floured surface.
- Place the dough on your peel or pizza pan.
- Top the pizza with 3 (or more) ounces of pesto.
3. Bake the Pizza
- Partially bake your pizza for 1/2 of the total cooking time. So if your dough recipe says 18 minutes, bake for 9, then take it out to add the pistachios. If it’s a Neapolitan at 800+ degrees, you can bake for about 45 seconds.
4. Add Pistachios To Your Pizza
- To emphasize the pistachios of your pesto, add a tablespoon of chopped pistachios to your pizza.
5. Finish the Bake
- Transfer the pizza back to the oven.
- Continue to bake for the remaining 1/2 of the time (per the dough recipe), and until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly on top, and the crust underneath is browned and firm.
- Allow the pizza to rest on a cutting board for 3 to 5 minutes for the cheese to set.
- Add additional fresh basil.
- Slice and serve immediately!
Enjoy!
Once your pistachio pesto pizza is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before slicing. The combination of the nutty pesto, crunchy pistachios, fresh basil, all on a crispy crust is a taste sensation you won’t soon forget!
Try this recipe for your next pizza night and watch it become a new favorite. Bon appétit!
Pistachio Pesto Pizza Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Outdoor pizza oven Optional
- 1 Pizza stone/Pizza steel/Pizza Pan Also optional for cooking your pizza in your indoor oven
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Pizza Cutter
Ingredients
Pizza Ingredients
- 10 ounces pizza dough store-bought, we recommend trying TraderJoe’s pre-made dough or homemade: try our EasyPeasy dough recipe
- 3 ounces pistachio pesto although you can also use pre-made pesto.
- 0.5 ounces olive oil
- 0.5 ounces pistachios shelled unsalted or lightly salted
- 6 basil leaves fresh
- 4 ounces Mozzarella cheese optional
Fresh Pistachio basil
- 1.5 cups basil leaves fresh
- ¼ cup pistachios shelled unsalted or lightly salted
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1-2 cloves garlic to taste
- ¼ cup olive oil preferably extra virgin, but not essential
- 2 Teaspoons lemon juice fresh-squeezed
- ½ teaspoon Salt likely not needed if your pistachios are salted
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
Instructions
Make fresh pistachio pesto
- Chop the pistachios: In a food processor, start off with the pistachio so that they have extra time to chop before adding the other ingredients. This will prevent the nuts from clumping too soon. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped.
- Add the remaining ingredients: Now add the basil leaves, grated Parmesan, lemon juice, garlic cloves, salt and pepper. Blend the ingredients – they will start to clump.
- Add the Olive Oil: With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Don’t add more than you need, as it can separate out on the pizza.
- Season: You can add additional salt, and pepper to taste. Blend once more to combine all the flavors.
Preheat Your Oven
- Preheat your oven to the temperature recommendation of your pizza dough.
Prepare Your Dough
- Make sure your dough is at room temperature.
- Stretch or roll out your pizza dough on a floured surface.
- Place the dough on your peel or pizza pan.
- Top the pizza with 3 (or more) ounces of pesto.
Bake the Pizza
- Partially bake your pizza for 1/2 of the total cooking time. So if your dough recipe says 18 minutes, bake for 9, then take it out to add the pistachios. If it’s a Neapolitan at 800+ degrees, you can bake for about 45 seconds.
Add Pistachios To Your Pizza
- To emphasize the pistachios of your pesto, add a tablespoon of chopped pistachios to your pizza.
Finish the Bake
- Transfer the pizza back to the oven.
- Continue to bake for the remaining 1/2 of the time (per the dough recipe), and until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly on top, and the crust underneath is browned and firm.
- Allow the pizza to rest on a cutting board for 3 to 5 minutes for the cheese to set.
- Add additional fresh basil.
- Slice and serve immediately!
Notes
Nutrition
Todd’s cooking skills have revolved around the grill since about age 12, when he developed a love for grilling and took over for Mom at the BBQ. He worked at Wendy’s and at Earl’s Tin Palace (a restaurant chain in Canada) but never really did any sort of baking…until he and Heather started making pizza together! Now he’s often making dough in the mornings and pizza in the evenings.