Pasta with Pistachio Pesto

A fork wraps around spaghetti with Pistachio Pesto in a large bowl

5 from 3 votes

Pasta with Pistachio Pesto

The wonderful fragrance and flavour of pistachio lend themsleves perfectly to a herbaceous pesto sauce. This simple and quick pistachio pesto recipe is a sure-fire way to inject flavour to any Italian pasta.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time15

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 1082kcal

Author: Lee

Ingredients

1/2 cup pistachio nuts unsalted, shelled
2 garlic cloves chopped
1 tsp salt
50 g basil leaves
50 g parsley leaves
1/2 cup pecorino cheese grated
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 oz Pasta (spaghetti etc) (around 180g) divided between two portions

Instructions

Pesto by Pestle & Mortar

Begin by pounding the nuts until coarse and then one by one add and pound until smooth the garlic, basil and parsley then cheese.
Stir in the extra virgin olive oil until emulsified and creamy
Season with a little salt and pepper

Pesto by Blender or Food Processor

Add the nuts, garlic, herbs and cheese and blend
While blending, pour in the oil in a gradual stream until the pesto is smooth
Season with salt and pepper

Making the pasta

Cook the pasta in lots of salted water to the packet instructions. Drain, retaining up to 2 cups of the cooking liquid.
Over a low heat, in a deep frying pan, add the cooked pasta along with most of the pesto. Add around 3/4 cup of the hot cooking liquid and stir quickly into the pasta and pesto to create a thick, creamy sauce.
If the coating becomes too dry, then add a little more water to loosen it up.
Serve hot in bowls with a small spoonful of pesto on top.

Notes

Serving & Storage Suggestions

This recipe is best enjoyed immediately, served piping hot. However, pesto and pasta make for an excellent room temperature pasta salad. I prefer using fusilli (spirals) or farfalle (bows) combined with pesto and fresh vegetables such as cooked courgette, aubergine, and fresh or semi-sun-dried tomatoes, topped with a touch of lemon zest.

For leftovers - they'll be fine when sealed in the fridge for a couple of days, but the creaminess may diminish. The flavour will still be excellent, but the texture will be compromised. I would not advise freezing this pesto pasta.
Refrigerating Pesto - pesto will remain fresh in the fridge (stored in a jar or sealed container) for up to 2 weeks. Pour additional olive oil to cover and protect the surface for prolonged freshness.
Freezing Pesto - pesto freezes well in small sealed containers for 3+ months. Thoroughly defrost in the fridge before use. AVOID defrosting in the microwave as it may cook the herbs and compromise the fresh flavour.

Nutrition