For my last mess of green beans from the backyard, I wanted to do something truly special. These pistachio pesto roasted green beans was it. Simple to make, wonderfully tasty to eat, and an elegant side to have on the dinner table, this awesomely delicious platter of green bean goodness is hard to pass up.
Pistachio Pesto Ingredients
A vegan pesto is probably one of the my favorite sauces to make, and I’ve made so many iterations of it that I can’t remember all of them. Take for example, this spinach pesto, or this focaccia with jalapeño pesto, or these stuffed bell peppers with thai basil & pumpkin seed pesto.. really the possibilities of pesto are limitless.
Here’s what you’ll need to make this vegan pistachio pesto, or any vegan pesto for that matter.
- Fresh basil (or some other kind of green like spinach – you can even do a hybrid of both)
- Raw pistachios, shelled (or some kind of nut – I’ve also used walnut, pine nut, pecan, cashew, etc.)
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Nutritional yeast (this takes the place of what would otherwise be parmesan cheese in a traditional Italian pesto)
- Garlic
- Dried thyme
- Salt
How To Make Pistachio Pesto
Making a pistachio pesto is super easy!
- Toast the raw pistachios in a cast-iron skillet to bring out a little more flavor. This should take no longer than 5 minutes or so over medium heat. Really, you’ll be able to see them darkening slightly, and they should smell much more aromatic. This is good – it means they should be more flavorful for your pesto!
- Then pulse them in the food processor with the garlic. Doing so ensures that there won’t be large chunks of pistachio or garlic in your pesto. Plus, the smell of the two combined is utterly heavenly. Give it a whiff when you do pulse them together – you’ll agree.
- Add everything else and blend until cohesive. Use right away or store in the fridge for later.
If you do decide just to make the pistachio pesto and save it for later, store it in an air-tight container, covered with a little bit of lemon juice or olive oil to preserve its freshness and greenness. It can probably last for up to a day or two like that.
How To Roast Green Beans
Like most veggies, roasting green beans is not only exceptionally easy, but also renders them truly delectable. They become toasty, wilted and tender, and so serve as a great vessel for the pistachio pesto.
- You’re going to need about 2 pounds of fresh green beans. This should be enough to completely fill a large baking sheet with little to no gaps in between each bean. When in doubt, it’s better to have more beans and have to roast them a little longer, rather than less beans and not having enough to match the quantity of pesto.
- Drizzle the beans with olive oil until they’re all lightly coated, and then spread them across a baking sheet evenly. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper until they’re dusted evenly with both of the seasonings.
- Roast on 400°F (204°C) for 25 – 30 minutes, or until they are wilted, brown and tender when poked with a fork. If you have to eat a couple of the beans to really make sure they’re done, nobody will blame you for that.
After that, your green beans should be ready to combine with your delicious pistachio pesto.
I hope that you enjoyed these pistachio pesto roasted green beans. If you did, consider leaving me a comment and recipe rating before you go!
Pistachio Pesto Green Beans
Equipment
- Baking Tray
- Food Processor
Ingredients
- 2 lbs fresh green beans, enough to entirely fill a large baking sheet
- 1 – 2 tablespoons olive oil, or as needed to coat all the green beans
- Some salt and ground black pepper
For the Pistachio Pesto
- ½ heaping cup raw pistachios, shelled and lightly toasted
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups fresh basil, packed
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 ½ tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Drizzle the green beans with olive oil, then toss the beans together just until all the beans are lightly coated. Spread the beans evenly on a baking tray, and sprinkle with some salt and black pepper. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, or until browned, tender when poked with a fork and slightly wilted.
- While the beans are baking, begin the pesto by lightly toasted raw pistachios in a skillet over medium heat for 3 – 5 minutes, until fragrant and lightly browned. Transfer the pistachios to a food processor along with the minced garlic, and pulse until the two are combined. After that, add the rest of the pesto ingredients (basil, olive oil, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, dried thyme and salt), and blend until you have cohesive pesto.
- After you have removed the green beans from the oven, toss them with a good portion of the pesto in a large bowl until well-coated with pesto. Serve on a platter alongside whatever else you'd like.
Video
Nutrition
May you have good food in good company,
That Vegan Nephew
Wonderful combination – green beans and pistachios. Nothing quite like green beans fresh from the garden. Yum