This three ingredient French sauce pistou could not be easier to make in just a few minutes, with the aromatic flavours of garlic and basil.
It's a vibrant sauce with so many uses. Delicious with pasta, as a dip, on vegetables or served with meat or fish.
You really need to try this sauce.
Enjoy!
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🤔 FAQs
This sauce is from the Provence region of France, where it is commonly served as a garnish on a vegetable soup.
It is very similar to Italian pesto, except there is no cheese or pine nuts, and is used as a cold sauce in a very similar way.
The word pistou itself originates from an old Provençal verb to pound together. Originally this sauce was made in a pestle and mortar.
However, it's much easier to use a food processor.
❤️ Why you will love this dish
- Just 3 main ingredients.
- Made in just a few minutes.
- So many uses, from a dip to garnish.
- Fresh and vibrant flavours.
- Naturally vegetarian and vegan.
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🥘 Ingredients
- Basil - fresh basil. This recipe can't be made with frozen or dried basil.
- Garlic - whole fresh garlic cloves for the best flavour.
- Salt - flaked sea salt is delicious in dressings.
- Oil - for cold dressings, extra virgin olive oil gives the sauce an authentic rich flavour. Extra virgin olive oil is known as EVOO and is formed from the first press of a batch of olives. This means that this way it retains the most flavour, aroma and nutritional value possible. It is more expensive than regular olive oil, but the recipe only uses a small amount.
The printable recipe card with full ingredient quantities and instructions can be found at the bottom of the article.
🍽 Equipment
- chopping board
- sharp knife
- food processor - ideally with small bowl
🔪 Instructions
Peel and rough slice the garlic.
Take the basil leaves off the stem and retain the leaves.
Put all of the ingredients in the food processor with a blade attachment.
💭 Top Tip
- If you don't have a food processor you can finely chop the basil, crush the garlic and mix the ingredients by hand instead.
- Alternatively, use a pestle and mortar.
- It's possible to use a blender, if it's a small size. Putting the ingredients in a large blender may mean that they are not blended properly.
Serve and enjoy.
🥗Serve with
- pasta
- jacket potatoes
- a dip with chopped vegetables
- as a spread in a sandwich
- as a burger topping
- with grilled meats
Or, try with one of these dishes.
- Falafel Burgers
- Venison Burgers
- Lamb Burgers
- Bavette Steak
- Picanha Beef
- Cannon of Lamb
- Lamb with Pomegranate Molasses
- Tuscan Roast Pork
- Bone in Ribeye
- Sarladaise Potatoes
- Potatoes Parisienne
🥙 Substitutions
- Extra virgin olive oil - use another olive oil or try a nut or avocado oil.
📖 Variations
- Coriander - swap the basil with fresh coriander, but use the stalks as well. This is delicious with grilled chicken, fish and Indian dishes.
🍣 Storage
- Refrigerator - store in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer - place in ice cube trays and then transfer to a sealed container for up to 3 months/
🍱 Prepare in Advance
- Make the sauce up to 3 days in advance.
Let me know what you think in the comments or you can post a picture and tag me on Twitter @chezlereve, Instagram @chezlerevefrancais, or Facebook @chezlerevefrancais
More sauces
- Thermidor Sauce
- Bacon Aioli
- Dijon Mustard Sauce
- Sauce Forestière
- Béarnaise Mayonnaise
- Mousseline Sauce
- Sauce Soubise
📋 Recipe
Sauce Pistou
Equipment
- chopping board
- sharp knife
- food processor - ideally with small bowl
Ingredients
- 30 g basil
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Peel and rough slice the garlic.
- Take the basil leaves off the stem and retain the leaves.
- Put all of the ingredients in the food processor with a blade attachment.
- Process the ingredients until finely chopped.
- Serve.
Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
Detailed instructions for this recipe, including step by step photographs, hints and tips, can be found in the main article.
More French sauces
Food Safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat.
- Wash hands after touching raw meat.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds.
- Always have good ventilation when using gas.
Do you have a question or did you make the recipe? Please leave a rating as it helps other readers to discover this dish. Your name and email are required to avoid spam comments; they are never used for any purpose or shared with third parties.
However, due to spam comments, I do have to moderate each one, so don't worry if you cannot see your comment immediately. I'll publish your comments as soon as I can.
Dannii
I love the combination of garlic and basil, so I can't wait to try this.
Stephanie
I really love basil and fresh garlic together. This sauce would go so well on so many meats and pastas.
Savita
This was so goood, the recipe turned out super easy to make and follow.
Tayler
I made this sauce yesterday and it was perfect for veggies! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
Gloria
So many people think French cooking is complicated. In reality, most times it is just simple ingredients with amazing results. Just like this delicious sauce.
Gina Abernathy
Love the color of this fresh sauce. Used it on my pasta and it was fabulous!
Robin G.
Thanks, this sauce went well with some mild white fish and veggies last night.
Beth
Such an amazing vibrant green colour! Love this sauce stirred through pasta!
Ana F.
My sauce pistou turned out soooo delicious and it's loaded with flavors! It will definitely be on rotation from now on. Thanks for the recipe!
Katherine
So good! I can see this pistou going with so many dishes.
Ieva
This is 100% my favourite sauce to serve with white fish! And so easy to make!
Lisa Huff
Ohhh the bright green color! Gorgeous! Can never have too much basil.
Shadi
I was looking for a recipe like this, thank you for sharing! I can't wait to try it soon!
Tayler
Homemade sauces are my favorite and this one looks amazing! Can't wait to make it as a dip for veggies.
Kelley
We served this over seared salmon and it was amazing!!
Suja md
Absolutely delicious; thank you for this fantastic recipe! Very straightforward and easy to make. The dish came out perfectly. I will make it again!!