By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 9, 2026
Serves 8
282 cal · 10 min
Green Chile Pesto
Recipe GLPR2d9e682c8f15f5
A vibrant, herbaceous pesto made with roasted Hatch green chiles, fresh cilantro, and pistachios, finished with creamy Queso Fresco. This versatile sauce works beautifully as a dip, spread, or finishing sauce for grilled meats and vegetables. Bold, fresh, and distinctly Southwestern in character.
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Ingredients
1 pound roasted Hatch green chiles (4 to 6 chiles)
1/3 cup packed fresh cilantro
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1/3 cup shelled pistachios
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup Queso Fresco, crumbled
1/2 cup olive oil, plus more as needed
Kosher salt to taste
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
Directions
Add the roasted green chiles, cilantro, garlic, pistachios, Queso Fresco, and lemon juice to a food processor.
Pulse the mixture 4–5 times until the ingredients are coarsely combined and no large pieces remain.
With the food processor running, slowly pour the olive oil in a thin stream until the pesto reaches your desired consistency. Add more oil a tablespoon at a time if the mixture seems too thick.
Taste and adjust the seasoning with kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper as needed.
Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately as a dip, spread, or sauce. The pesto can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Comments
Hatch green chiles are the real constraint here: they're seasonal (late August through September in the United States, and unavailable most of the year in Charlotte), and you'd need to special-order them frozen or find a specialty Latin market like El Rancho or similar. Pistachios and queso fresco are easy finds at Harris Teeter or Publix, and the rest are staples, so ingredient shopping is one stop unless you're buying fresh chiles. The 10-minute claim is honest if you're using roasted, peeled chiles straight from a jar or freezer; fresh hatch chiles add another 20 minutes for roasting and skinning. At roughly $1.50 per serving (pistachios and good olive oil drive the cost), this works as a condiment or appetizer, not a standalone dish, and it does not reheat well—best used fresh the same day as a topper or dip. It's a smart seasonal splurge for anyone who can source the chiles, and it's a natural fit for North Carolina eaters who know pepper season.
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