Pine nuts can be expensive! When you want a delicious homemade pesto without the hefty price, try our pistachio pesto. This pesto pasta recipe with basil & spinach is THE ultimate pesto sauce for your pesto pasta.
Insanely delicious, bright, flavorful, and loaded with pistachio goodness! It takes exactly 5 mins to make, keeps in your fridge for at least a month and you can use it on anything!
WHY PISTACHIO PESTO
Trust me, EVERYTHING tastes much better with this homemade pistachio pesto!! Don’t miss out on this 5-mins, no-cook pistachio pesto sauce that will take your pasta game to another level!
I have a whole guide on basics of Basil pesto and everything you need to know about making it, storing it, freezing it and using it. Make sure to read that!
Ingredients for Pistachio pesto
Let’s talk about using those outstanding pistachios in a pesto. It’s like the best of both worlds.
I mean there’s something undeniably delicious about the humble Italian pesto sauce —it’s got plenty of fresh bright basil flavor, with a touch of garlic, a touch of lemon, a touch of Parmesan cheese, and a load of olive oil. Now imagine adding plenty of rich pistachios to that—it’s like a dream come true!! Here’s the official ingredients list.
- basil
- garlic
- lemon juice
- parmesan cheese
- olive oil
- pistachios
- salt
And if you’re wondering about the spinach, I’ve found that adding just a little bit of spinach to my pistachio pesto helps mellow and blend in all the flavors. It also makes the texture of the pistachio pesto smoother, so even though it’s optional, I strongly recommend it!
This easy pesto sauce is gluten-free and can be totally vegan if you leave out the Parmesan cheese ( I love replacing it with a teaspoon of mustard).
Make Pistachio Pesto Recipe
Today I’ve used this wonderful pistachio pesto sauce tossed over fettuccine for a scrumptious dinner in 15 mins!! And if you’re in the mood for some serious creamy dreamy pasta sauce love, just add 1/4 cup of cream to your pasta when cooked along with the pesto..then close your eyes and YES it’s real!! Seriously luscious!
This is, by the way, a great recipe for your Mother’s Day menu. It makes a perfect light and elegant dinner in minutes. It’s also a perfect potluck dish, picnic dish, and bbq side dish!
This is the kind of pasta that you can serve nice and hot for dinner or cold as a pasta salad, and so is the pesto sauce. So you can use it in endless ways—hot or cold.
HOW TO MAKE PESTO PASTA
Cook your pasta according to the instructions on the package.
Meanwhile, place all the pesto ingredients except for the olive oil in the bowl of your food processor. Process until the mixture is fine, then add in the olive oil and process until the mixture is a smooth sauce (it will not be creamy smooth, but smooth).
When the pasta is done, drain it well. Then toss about 1/2 of the pesto (more or less to your taste) with the pasta and plate them. Drizzle with remaining pesto and enjoy!
Why you’ll love Pistachio Pesto Recipe
You can use this recipe in so many different ways! Here are my favorite ways to use pistachio pesto sauce.
- When I have no time to marinate chicken, beef, or fish—I’ll cook or grill them and then smear a thin layer of pesto (you can thin it out with a little more oil or mayo or lemon juice) on top for a fabulous boost of flavor! Or even on veggies!
- I love to slather pestos on my pizza, sandwiches, and burgers.
- Another great use for pestos is salad dressings. Take a teaspoon of pesto and diluting it with a type of vinegar, a little more olive oil, and sometimes mustard and, or, mayo.
- For a quick snack, you can make a dip recipe out of pesto by adding a 1:2 ratio of pesto to cream cheese (or sour cream or a combo of both).
- For freezing and Tips on making pesto nut-free and more, read my BASIL PESTO guide.
TIPS FOR PESTO PASTA
- Make this pistachio pesto vegan by substituting the parmesan cheese with a tsp of mustard.
- For a plate of creamy pistachio pesto pasta, add 1/4 cup of cream to the freshly cooked pasta along with the pesto.
- Finish your pasta with some freshly grated lemon zest and parmesan on top for the ultimate pasta experience!
How to make Chicken Pesto Pasta?
Cook your chicken and then toss it in pesto sauce over the cooked pasta. Alternatively, you can use rotisserie chicken for convenience. Grabbing a rotisserie chicken is one of my favorite ways to save time!
What to Serve with Pesto Pasta?
Just as is! If you’d like to add protein, you can do so with chicken, seafood, or steak. Garlic bread is a nice touch as well.
How much Pesto to Add to Pasta?
I recommend adding pesto sauce pretty much to your taste, but in general, one pound of pasta would need around 1/2 cup of basil pesto.
How to Store the Pistachio Pesto
Store pesto in the fridge for up to a week in a jar with the lid. Freeze pesto on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and once it’s frozen place it in a freezer-safe container. When you are ready for some pesto sauce just break off the amount you need. Wrapped in parchment in a zipper bag, pesto sauce will keep in the freezer for up to eight months!
You can refrigerate the mixed pesto pasta in an airtight container for up to three days, and add a pat of butter and perhaps a bit of water to reheat in the microwave.
MORE PESTO RECIPES
So have you ever made pesto sauce before? It’s definitely worth the 5 mins, and you can make pesto out of ANYTHING. Try one of these recipes.
- Kale Artichoke Walnut Pesto
- Homemade Basil Pesto
- Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
- Pesto Stuffed Shrimps
- Kale Pesto Stuffed Mushrooms
MORE PASTA RECIPES
If you’re in the mood for a different pasta dish try these.
- Holiday Turkish Pasta With Yogurt Sauce
- 15 Minute One-Pan Ravioli Recipe
- Creamy Walnut Chicken Dinner
MORE PISTACHIO RECIPES
If you’re a pistachio person like me, try boosting up the flavors by using pistachios instead of any nuts. Pistachio lovers also need to try these recipes.
Pesto Pasta with Pistachio Pesto
Pesto Pasta with Pistachio Pesto is the best pasta dinner! It takes exactly 5 mins to make, keeps in your fridge for at least a month and you can use it on anything.
Ingredients
- 1 lb bag of fresh fettuccine pasta ( use gluten free pasta if needed)
For the pesto
- 1 cup packed basil leaves
- 1/2 cup packed spinach leaves
- 1/2 cup shelled pistachios
- 1 large garlic clove ( or 2 smaller ones)
- juice of 1 lemon ( about 1 tablespoon)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese ( use 1 teaspoon of mustard if vegan)
- 1/4 cup -1/3 cup of olive oil
Toppings
- Extra fresh grated Parmesan for sprinkling (optional)
- Lemon zest and crushed pistachios for sprinkling (optional)
- **optional: 1/4 cup of heavy cream
Instructions
-
Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
-
In the meantime, make the pesto. In a food processor, place all the pesto ingredients except for the olive oil.
-
Process until the mixture is fine, then add in the olive oil and process until the is a smooth sauce (it will not be creamy smooth, but smooth).
-
When the pasta is done, drain it well. Then toss about 1/2 of the pesto (more or less to your taste) with the pasta and plate them. If you're turning this into a cream sauce, add the cream with pesto sauce t the cooked pasta right away.
-
Drizzle a teaspoon more of the pesto on top of each pasta plate, and sprinkle with extra Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and crushed pistachios if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
TIPS FOR PESTO PASTA
- Make this pistachio pesto vegan by substituting the parmesan cheese with a tsp of mustard.
- For a plate of creamy pistachio pesto pasta, add 1/4 cup of cream to the freshly cooked pasta along with the pesto.
- Finish your pasta with some freshly grated lemon zest and parmesan on top for the ultimate pasta experience!
- How to make Chicken Pesto Pasta?
Cook your chicken and then toss it in pesto sauce over the cooked pasta. Alternatively, you can use rotisserie chicken for convenience. Grabbing a rotisserie chicken is one of my favorite ways to save time!
What to Serve with Pesto Pasta?
Just as is! If you'd like to add protein, you can do so with chicken, seafood, or steak. Garlic bread is a nice touch as well.
How much Pesto to Add to Pasta?
I recommend adding pesto sauce pretty much to your taste, but in general, one pound of pasta would need around 1/2 cup of basil pesto.
How to Store the Pistachio Pesto
Store pesto in the fridge for up to a week in a jar with the lid. Freeze pesto on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and once it's frozen place it in a freezer-safe container. When you are ready for some pesto sauce just break off the amount you need. Wrapped in parchment in a zipper bag, pesto sauce will keep in the freezer for up to eight months!
You can refrigerate the mixed pesto pasta in an airtight container for up to three days, and add a pat of butter and perhaps a bit of water to reheat in the microwave.
I used spaghetti squash for fettucine because if being type-2 diabetic.
Great idea Mark !! Hope you enjoyed it 🙂