In less than 30 minutes, you can create a flavorful and authentic pistachio pesto pasta. It's easy enough for a quick weeknight meal, yet impressive enough to serve at a dinner party.
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As soon as my summer garden fills up with basil, I know it's time to make a batch of pistachio pesto. This pistachio pesto pasta is one of my favorites because it's easy, tastes great, and everyone I serve it to is obsessed!
Whether you want to make the dish with handmade pasta or dried spaghetti, you can guarantee it's going to be delicious.
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What You'll Learn In This Recipe
- Why it's important to cook pasta until al dente.
- How to properly saute pasta to make a creamy pesto sauce.
- Helpful tips so you can cook pasta like an Italian.
Want to learn even more tricks for making the best Italian pasta? Sign up for my free email guide with 9 easy tips to improve your pasta.
Ingredients You Need
Italians value high-quality products that taste delicious! Keep this in mind as you're purchasing the ingredients.
- Pistachios: If you buy salted pistachios, be sure to taste the pasta before adding in additional salt.
- Basil leaves: The fresher, the better! I always love using basil from my garden.
- Parmesan cheese: Don't skimp on the quality of this ingredient or it won't easily melt into the pasta. Always shred your own cheese to ensure it doesn't have an anti-caking powder on it (which prevents melting).
- Lemon juice and peel: This gives the pesto a bright and fresh taste!
- Extra virgin olive oil: Always choose an extra virgin olive oil that has a good taste (yes, you actually want to taste the oil on its own) so you know it will be delicious in the pasta.
- Spaghetti: I love using spaghetti for this pesto pasta dish, but you're welcome to use another shape.
- Morton kosher salt/black pepper: This will be used to season both the pesto and the pasta.
- Coarse sea salt: In Italy, I learned that it's best to salt pasta water with coarse sea salt. Always taste the pasta water (carefully of course, because it's hot), to ensure it's properly salted before adding the pasta.
How To Make This Recipe
1. Blend the pistachios in a food processor on high until they're finely chopped.
2. Next add the basil, parmesan cheese, lemon peel, and lemon juice.
3. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while the processor runs on high speed until a paste consistency forms.
4. Taste and add pepper and salt, as needed.
5. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then generously season with coarse sea salt. Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions until slightly softened but still firm, about 6 - 8 minutes.
It's really important not to overcook the pasta at this stage since it will continue cooking with the pesto.
6. Meanwhile, as the pasta is cooking, add the pistachio pesto to a large saute pan along with a ladle (about ¼ cup or 60 ml) of pasta water. This will help the pesto loosen.
7. Transfer the cooked pasta over to the saute pan, but reserve the pasta water. Turn your heat to high and saute the pasta while vigorously stirring with a wooden spoon. This action, along with high heat, is what creates a creamy pistachio sauce.
8. Add a ladle (about ¼ cup or 60 ml) of pasta water. Pour it along the outside of the saute pan (not directly on the pasta), and continue vigorously stirring.
9. Repeat this process two to three additional times, adding more pasta water when you hear sizzling, until a creamy sauce forms and the pasta is al dente.
10. Turn off the heat and toss pasta with parmesan. Taste and season as needed with more salt and pepper.
Expert Tips
- When ladling pasta water onto the spaghetti, never pour it directly on the pasta. Rather, pour it along the outer edge of the pan. This will ensure none of the pasta becomes overcooked from directly pouring hot water on top.
- If you hear the pasta sizzling, that's your cue to add more pasta water to the pan.
- Don't overcook the pasta. Even after cooking the pasta in the pan with the pesto, it should still have a firm bite to it. You never want the pasta to be soft or mushy!
Recipe FAQs
The pasta has finished cooking once it's al dente (meaning it still has a bite to it), and the pesto has become creamy.
Yes! My husband is gluten-free, so I have successfully recipe tested this dish with gluten-free spaghetti. You may need to adjust the cooking time on the spaghetti if you're using a gluten-free pasta.
Yes! Fresh pasta would be delicious with this dish. Remember that fresh pasta cooks really quickly compared to dried pasta. You'll need to cook the pasta for only about 30 seconds before you finish sauteing with the pistachio pesto.
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Italian Pistachio Pesto Pasta
Equipment
- large pot
- large saute pan
- wooden spoon
Ingredients
Pistachio Pesto
- 1 cup shelled, roasted pistachios
- 2 cups packed basil leaves
- ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- peel of 1 lemon (about 1.3 grams)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- finely ground black pepper to taste
- Morton kosher salt to taste
Pistachio Pesto Pasta
- coarse sea salt
- 1 pound spaghetti
- ¾ cup high-quality parmesan finely shredded
- Morton kosher salt to taste
- finely ground black pepper to taste
- finely chopped pistachios for garnish (optional)
Instructions
For Pistachio Pesto
- Blend pistachios in a food processor on high until finely chopped.
- Add basil, parmesan cheese, lemon peel, and lemon juice. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while the processor runs on high speed until a paste consistency forms. Taste and add pepper and salt to taste, as needed.
For Pistachio Pesto Pasta
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Generously season with coarse sea salt. Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions until slightly softened but still firm, about 6 - 8 minutes.
- Meanwhile, as the pasta is cooking, add pistachio pesto to a large saute pan along with a ladle (about ¼ cup or 60 ml) of pasta water over medium heat, until the pesto has loosened.
- Transfer the cooked pasta over to the saute pan (reserve the pasta water). Turn heat to high and saute the pasta while vigorously stirring with a wooden spoon. Add a ladle (about ¼ cup or 60 ml) of pasta water (pour along the outside of the saute pan not directly on the pasta) and continue vigorously stirring. Repeat this process two to three additional times, adding more pasta water when you hear sizzling until a creamy sauce forms and the pasta is al dente.
- Turn off the heat and toss pasta with parmesan. Taste and season as needed with salt and pepper.
- Serve immediately. Optionally, garnish with chopped pistachios.
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