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Pistachio Pesto Pasta

Pistachio Pesto Pasta Recipe

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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 650
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 cup shelled unsalted pistachios
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 lb spaghetti or linguine

Method
 

  1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, about 10 to 12 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
  2. In a food processor, pulse the pistachios and garlic until finely chopped. Add the basil, lemon juice, salt, and Parmesan. With the machine running, slowly pour in the olive oil and blend until a thick paste forms.
  3. Toss the drained pasta with the pesto, adding splashes of reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Serve with extra Parmesan, crushed pistachios, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Notes

Be careful not to rinse the pasta after draining; the starch helps the pesto stick. For a creamier pesto, add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water directly to the food processor and blend briefly before tossing.