Looking for a new way to spice up brussels sprouts? Well, look no further! We’re going to teach you a modern twist on an old favorite. And it all starts with pesto.
This Cranberry Pistachio Pesto recipe is from Chef Todd of Checkers Restaurant in Downtown Los Angeles, right inside the Hilton Hotel.
In addition to serving this pesto with roasted brussels sprouts, he also pairs it with an Open Faced Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Baby Arugula…
and a cheese plate using Roasted Beets and Humboldt Fog Cheese.
How to Make Cranberry Pistachio Pesto
Ingredients:
Brussels Sprouts
- 1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Cranberry Pistachio Pesto
- 1/3 cup unsalted, shelled pistachios
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 2 cloves garlic or 3 cloves roasted garlic
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
- 1/2 cups olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Steps
Brussels Sprouts
-
Cut off the knobby end of the brussels sprouts and pull off any loose outer leaves. Cut the brussels sprouts in half, lengthwise. Toss with olive oil.
-
On a baking sheet, spread the brussels sprouts evenly and roast for 20-25 minutes, until you begin to see a bit of browning on the brussels sprouts. The interior should be fork tender.
Cranberry Pistachio Pesto
Place the pistachios, cranberries, garlic and parsley into a food processor and let that baby run until the ingredients are finely chopped. Keep the motor running and add in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.
Here’s the important part: After you turn off the food processor, spoon out the pesto into a bowl and stir in the remaining olive oil by hand. If you try to add all of the olive oil into the food processor, it will become too thick and turn into a “paste” rather than a pesto.
Did you love this recipe? Leave a reply in the comments and let us know what you think!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cranberry Pistachio Pesto Recipe
Ingredients
For Brussels Sprouts
- 1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
For Pesto
- 1/3 cup unsalted, shelled pistachios if you use salted pistachios, remember to taste pesto before salting at end.
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 2 cloves garlic or 3 cloves roasted garlic
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
- 1/2 cups olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F degrees.
- Cut off the knobby end of the brussels sprouts and pull off any loose outer leaves. Cut the brussels sprouts in half, lengthwise. Toss with olive oil.
- On a baking sheet, spread the brussels sprouts evenly and roast for 20-25 minutes, until you begin to see a bit of browning on the brussels sprouts. The interior should be fork tender.
- Place the pistachios, cranberries, garlic and parsley into a food processor and process until very finely chopped. While the food processor is running, slowly drizzle in only 2 TABLESPOONS of the olive oil. Spoon out the pesto into a bowl and stir in remaining olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. The pesto should be slightly sweet and salty. If the pesto is too thick, you can stir in more olive oil.
- Lightly season the brussels sprouts with salt and pepper. Toss with just 1/4 cup of the Cranberry Pistachio Pesto on top. Reserve remaining pesto for other uses.











