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    Home » Food

    30-Minute Italian Pistachio Pesto Pasta

    4.7 from 7 votes

    By Pina Bresciani ⁠— June 29, 2023 (updated April 8, 2025) — 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    Italian pistachio pasta topped with burrata in a plate with a fork in it

    This recipe for Italian pistachio pasta is wonderfully delicious, and easy to make at home. Ready in just 30 minutes, this quick pasta dinner features a super flavorful pistachio pesto sauce and is topped with creamy burrata.

    Italian pistachio pasta topped with burrata in a plate with a fork in it

    If you're an Italian food fanatic like I am, you've probably already had (or even made) an authentic pesto genovese, or even an arugula pesto.

    But have you had pistachio pesto? Even though it's a more obscure pesto, that doesn't mean that it's any less flavorful than the more well-known recipes.

    Using pistachios, you'll have an amazing nutty pesto that creates a unique and appetizing flavor for your pasta. It's so delicious, you might find yourself buying pistachio in the bulk section so you can make more!

    Once you've made this Italian pasta recipe, I bet you won't be able to stop at just one (there's no such thing as too much pasta in my book!) Definitely try out some more Italian classic pasta recipes!

    Which pasta shape to use

    For this pasta recipe with pistachios, any pasta shape will work, which is great if you need to use anything that is already in your pantry. In this version, I used rigatoni, but you could really use anything, short or long, it's up to you! For example, you could use penne, or rotini for short pastas, or you could you fettucine, linguine or spaghetti for long.

    How to make it - step by step

    Add the pasta to a cold pan or bowl, and add in the pistachio pesto.

    Rigatoni pasta being put into a bowl
    Pistachio pesto being spooned into a bowl with pasta in it

    Add some pasta water and mix until pesto melts into the pasta and is creamy. Then, add more pasta water if needed.

    Pasta water being poured into bowl with pasta and pistachio pesto in it
    Wooden spoon mixing pasta and pistachio pesto in a bowl

    Plate, and top with burrata is using, as well as crushed pistachios and grated parmigiano or pecorino. Enjoy your pistachio pasta!

    Italian pistachio pasta in a plate with a fork, and a few basil leaves to the side

    Storage

    It's best to eat this dish right after making it, but if you have leftovers, you can store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to three days. To reheat, place leftovers in a small pan, add some olive oil and heat on stove until pasta is warm. You can also reheat in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish to your desired warmth.

    Top tips

    • You do not need to warm up the pesto. Generally pesto should not be heated. The heat from the pasta and pasta water is enough to heat up the dish.

    Recipe

    Italian pistachio pasta in a bowl topped with burrata with a small bowl of pistachios to the side
    Print Pin
    4.72 from 7 votes

    30-Minute Italian Pistachio Pesto Pasta

    This recipe for Italian pistachio pasta is wonderfully delicious, and easy to make at home. Ready in just 30 minutes, this quick pasta dinner features a super flavorful pistachio pesto sauce and is topped with creamy burrata.
    Course Main Course, Pasta
    Cuisine Italian
    Diet Vegetarian
    Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 20 minutes minutes
    Servings 2 people
    Calories 521kcal
    Author Pina Bresciani

    Ingredients

    • 1 batch pistachio pesto
    • 200 grams rigatoni or any other short pasta or long pasta
    • ½ cup burrata optional
    • crushed pistachios optional
    • grated parmigiano or pecorino cheese optional
    • salt to taste

    Instructions

    • Bring a large pot of water to boil. Once boiling, salt the pasta water, and add in the pasta. Cook until al dente.
    • Add the pasta to a cold pan or bowl, and add in the pistachio pesto.
    • Add some pasta water and mix until pesto melts into the pasta and is creamy. Add more pasta water if needed.
    • Plate, and top with burrata if using, as well as crushed pistachios and grated parmigiano or pecorino. Enjoy your pistachio pasta!

    Recipe Notes

    • You do not need to warm up the pesto. Generally pesto should not be heated. The heat from the pasta and pasta water is enough to heat up the dish.
    • You can use any cut of pasta you'd like for this recipe, a short cut like the rigatoni used in this recipe, penne or fusilli would work well too. You can also use long pasta like spaghetti, linguine etc
     
    Nutrition Facts
    30-Minute Italian Pistachio Pesto Pasta
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 521 Calories from Fat 144
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 16g25%
    Saturated Fat 9g56%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 0.2g
    Cholesterol 42mg14%
    Sodium 11mg0%
    Potassium 223mg6%
    Carbohydrates 75g25%
    Fiber 3g13%
    Sugar 3g3%
    Protein 23g46%
    Vitamin A 424IU8%
    Calcium 335mg34%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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    Comments

      4.72 from 7 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Mada says

      July 08, 2023 at 12:12 pm

      5 stars
      Can’t wait to try this

      Reply
    2. B says

      March 21, 2024 at 12:26 am

      5 stars
      Delicious! My husband loved it! Super easy to make.

      Reply

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    Hello!

    My name is Pina and I love Italian food and culture! Here you'll find delicious Italian-inspired recipes with a fresh west coast spin. Buon Appetito! About Me

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