by 8 Comments
Ever since I went to Italy this fall, I've been dreaming of trying to recreate the pistachio sauce for pasta I had there but was nervous I wouldn't even be able to come close. Well, folks...I've done it! My very own pistachio pasta recipe is ready for the world and I'm so excited to share it with you.
Creamy Pistachio Sauce for Pasta: Ingredients
I made mine with casarecce pasta because it's excellent for holding pasta sauce, but feel free to experiment with what you have. Along with pasta, you'll need...
- Fresh basil
- Fresh garlic cloves
- Shelled pistachios (I used roasted and salted pistachios)
- Parmesan
- Pasta water
- Olive oil
- Diced white onion
- Heavy cream or whipping cream
- Salt and pepper (you'll have to play around with these depending on if your pistachios are already salted, etc.)
Mini food processor
You'll need to bust out our food processor for this one because we're going to make a pistachio pesto of sorts. Once you make it in the food processor then add it to the pan to mix with the cream, etc. it turns into this really delicious creamy pistachio sauce with a gorgeous green color.
By the way, I have anew page on my site with a bunch of helpful links, including for the mini food processor I swear by. It has links to my social profiles, LTK, Amazon Storefront, etc. There's NO pressure to shop from any of these links, but if you're curious about the products I use, etc., that's where you'll find them. As always, your support is SO appreciated!
Tips and Notes for Pistachio Sauce for Pasta
Casarecche is perfect for this recipe because this pasta holds onto the pistachio sauce really well! If you sub in a different pasta, just make sure it's one that will hold onto the sauce well.
Using fresh basil, garlic, and freshly shredded parmesan (rather than pre-shredded in a bag...don't do it!) will make a BIG difference in the overall taste and quality of this recipe. Since there aren't a ton of ingredients, you really need to "get the good stuff" to ensure the best result.
Be patient when you're making your pistachio pesto. You can play around with ingredients to make sure you get the right consistency and taste. It will look clumpy and strange at first, but once you add it to the pan and mix in the cream, etc. it turns into a really vibrant and beautiful pasta sauce!
ALSO: If you want a little heat, go ahead and add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the pasta sauce!
📖 Recipe
Creamy Pistachio Pasta Sauce
This recipe for creamy pistachio pasta sauce serves 3-4 hungry people! You'll use your food processor to make a pseudo pesto with the pistachios and it all comes together to make an incredible sauce!
5 from 6 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Servings 4
Equipment
Food processor
Ingredients
For the Pistachio "Pesto"
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves roughly chopped
- ⅔ cup roasted and salted pistachios, without shells chopped into small pieces
- ½ cup parmesan freshly shredded from the block
- 4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- salt and pepper
For the Pasta
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup white onion finely diced
- 12 oz pasta measured dry, I used casarecce
- 1 cup whipping cream
- ⅔ cup parmesan freshly shredded from the block
- salt and pepper
- pasta water reserve at least ½ cup before draining, you won't need to use all of this though
Instructions
For the Pistachio Pesto
Roughly chop your pistachios into small bits.
To the base of your food processor, add the chopped pistachios, basil leaves, garlic cloves, parmesan, and some salt and pepper. Mix until combined.
Slowly pour the olive oil into the food processor while it's on, stopping to scrape down the sides. Keep going until you get a pesto-like consistency.
For the Pasta
Cook your pasta according to package directions in a large pot of salted water. Before draining the pasta, reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water. Set aside.
In a large pan on medium heat, melt the butter. Add the diced onions and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until tender and fragrant.
Add the pistachio pesto to the pan and turn the heat to medium-low. Stir well, cooking for two minutes.
Slowly add the cream to the pan, mixing constantly. Once all of the cream is added and the sauce is mixed and well-incorporated, add the cooked pasta to the pan. Toss to coat.
Add the other ⅔ cup of parmesan to the pasta.
Stir, and add a few tablespoons (or more) of reserved pasta water until you get the consistency you want.
Add salt and pepper, and taste test to adjust seasonings accordingly.
Serve with the extra chopped pistachios and more parmesan on top.
Notes
If you don't have casarecche, I recommend using a similar pasta shape and something that will hold onto the sauce. Fusili and farfalle with both work great.
Add a pinch of red pepper flakes if you want some spice and heat.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Please let me know how you like this when you try it! I hope you love this pistachio sauce as much as I do.
Oh...and if you're looking for the perfect thing to serve alongside it, my absolutely outrageous cheesy garlic bread was MADE for it.
And if you're looking for even more recipes with pistachio, you should also try my puff pastry twists with pistachio cream! My raspberry pistachio butter bars are always a hit too. Dessert, anyone?
Until next time!
XO,
Chelsea
More Vegetarian Dinner Recipes
- Vegetarian Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup
- Havarti Mac and Cheese with Dill
- Easy Salad Dressing with Red Wine Vinegar
- Extra Creamy Classic Mac and Cheese
Reader Interactions
Comments
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Kushigalu
Never tried pistachio sauce before. SOunds delicious. Thanks for sharing.Reply
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Tara
Such fantastic flavors packed into this pasta sauce! I especially love the combination of basil and pistachio. Looks so good!Reply
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Beth
I am so intrigued by this! I love pistachios, and I've used them in all kinds of recipes. I have never used them to make a sauce like this before, though.Reply
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Whitney
My husband loves pistachios and I have never made anything with them so this will be a nice treat for him! I love that it's so creamy!Reply
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Karen Maucieri
I’ve had this in Sicily and was searching for a recipe to duplicate the amazing flavors and this it it!! You did it!! Thank you so much !! Delicious!!
Can I make the pesto part 2 days before adding the onions and cream?
I’m going to make is my for Easter and was going I could make the pesto part today - FridayReply
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Chelsea Kram – XO&So: Vegetarian Comfort Food
I'm so glad you found what you are looking for! I haven't tried making the pistachio pesto ahead of time but I imagine it would be fine to do that. Please report back and let me know how it goes 🙂
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Jonni Gonzales
Very good pasta. My husband loved it. He said it was better than Mac & cheese.Reply
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Chelsea Kram – XO&So: Vegetarian Comfort Food
I'm so happy to hear that! Thank you so much for taking the time to write that — it means so much to me.
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