For a new, delicious take on your traditional pesto, you'll love this feta-avocado pesto sauce. The avocado adds a creamy, luscious texture while the feta delivers the perfect salty, tangy kick. When not any pesto will do, this feta-avocado version is just what you need.
Easy kitchen hack: If you want to make anything more delicious, add pesto and call it a day. OK, maybe I'm oversimplifying a tad, but pesto really does have magical powers. I'm sure of it.
How can something be so tasty and versatile without a little magic? Corny but true, especially when it comes to this particular pesto recipe.
Clearly, I love a classic pesto sauce, but the addition of feta and avocado puts this recipe over the top. And don't worry. We still get plenty of fresh basil flavor that endeared us to the classic pesto. The additional ingredients don't overpower the basil, but this variation's ultra creamy body makes this pesto sauce feel more indulgent and extra fancy.
Plus, you'll see this feta-avocado pesto sauce goes well with so many dishes. Who doesn't love one recipe that can serve so many functions? I know I sure do, and I bet you're right there with me.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Besides this feta-avocado pesto sauce's creamy texture and pop of fresh flavor, I love this recipe because it's quick and easy to make. Let's get to it, shall we?
We begin by pulsing garlic, fresh lemon juice and pistachios in a food processor until finely chopped. The classic pesto recipe uses pine nuts rather than pistachios, but I love the richness pistachios add.
With our garlic and pistachios finely chopped, we're ready to add the avocado, lots of fresh basil, crumbled feta and Parmesan to the mixture. Even after processing, you'll notice the mixture isn't quite smooth, but don't worry about that. We'll perfect that texture in the next step.
Let the food processor run and slowly stream in a hearty dose of olive oil. Give the pesto a taste and add a little salt and pepper to your liking. And that's it! See? I told you it was quick and easy.
How to Use
Oh, the possibilities! Obviously, this feta-avocado pesto sauce is amazing on pasta, but let's not stop there. This recipe is too good not to enjoy in every way imaginable. How do these other uses sound?
- Pizza base -- skip the tomato sauce and go with herby goodness.
- Burger topping -- mix it with mayo or use it as a spread on its own.
- Dip -- grill up some ciabatta or grab some crackers and go to town.
- Crostini -- spread this sauce on some toasted bread and top with ricotta and prosciutto.
- Tacos -- pesto may not be a traditional taco topping, but I promise you won't regret it.
- Grilled steak, chicken or fish sauce -- rather than a chimichurri, use this feta-avocado pesto in its place.
- Flavored rice -- stir in some pesto with fluffy white rice for a tasty side dish.
And those are just a few ideas. Feel free to get creative. I also have an upcoming recipe that uses this feta-avocado pesto sauce, and don't be surprised if more pop up in the future. In the meantime, these ideas should put your feta-avocado pesto sauce to good use.
Can You Freeze?
You sure can. With the feta, you might think freezing this sauce wouldn't work well, but it holds up nicely. You'll notice this pesto is a bit thicker once it thaws, but if you want to thin it out, you can add a touch more olive oil.
I like to freeze pesto in this ice cube tray with a plastic lid from Bed, Bath & Beyond. The plastic top does a great job of protecting the pesto from freezer burn, and you can thaw as little or as much as you'd like at a time.
Perfect Pairing
When beer is calling, I love a biere de garde with herb-forward meals, and this recipe is no exception. Biere de garde's yeast profile shows off a nice earthiness that blends well with the basil. A saison with its citrusy and grass-like notes is also delicious with this pesto.
For a wine night, you can't go wrong with a sauvignon blanc and pesto. The brightness from the wine brings out the basil, and I love how that crisp finish of the sauvignon blanc cuts through the avocado and olive oil.
If you're looking for an easy, delicious and versatile sauce that elevates nearly any meal, I hope you try this feta-avocado pesto sauce. I have no doubt you'll find yourself spooning this sauce on just about anything you can.
Cheers!
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📖 Recipe
Feta-Avocado Pesto Sauce
Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 7 garlic cloves roughly chopped
- 1 lemon juiced
- ½ cup pistachios shelled
- 1 avocado roughly chopped
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves packed (see note)
- 1 cup feta crumbled
- ½ cup Parmesan freshly grated using the small hole on a box grater (see note)
- 1 ½ cups olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse the garlic cloves, lemon juice and pistachios until finely chopped.
- Add the avocado, fresh basil leaves, feta and Parmesan to the food processor. Blend until the mixture begins to come together. As needed, scrape down the side of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated.
- With the food processor running, slowly stream in the olive oil. Blend until smooth. Again, if needed, scrape the side of the bowl. Taste the pesto and add salt and pepper to your liking. Blend to incorporate the salt and pepper. Taste again and add more seasoning if needed. Enjoy!
Notes
- Two cups of fresh packed basil leaves is equivalent to the 3-ounce package many stores sell.
- Make sure you freshly grate your Parmesan. Pre-grated Parmesan won't blend well into the sauce.
- You can make this pesto two to three days ahead of time and store in the refrigerator. The leftovers also freeze well.
- Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Mimi says
That texture is hard to resist. I have been really enjoying red pesto lately but I can't wait to try feta-avocado version - it looks absolutely fantastic!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
It really is perfectly creamy. Red pesto sounds great --- as far as I'm concerned, you can't have enough pesto!