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Creamy pistachio pasta on a white dish.
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5 from 1 vote

Creamy Pistachio Pasta Recipe

This pistachio pasta is a classic Sicilian recipe made with a creamy pistachio sauce that comes together in minutes. If you love pistachio pasta, this rich yet simple dish brings authentic Sicily to your table
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: dinner, lunch
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: cream sauce
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 405kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cubed guanciale or pancetta
  • 1 lb of pasta I used rigatoni, you could use penne, farfalle, fusilli (or any other short pasta)
  • 1 small Onion finely diced I used Sweet, use Vidalia or a shallot
  • ¾ cups chopped pistachios I used unsalted, if you use salted, you may not need to use extra salt in the sauce
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese plus more for serving

Instructions

Crisp the pancetta

  1. Heat a large skillet and add the cubed pancetta. Cook, stirring, until it renders its fat and turns crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Soften the onion

  1. Add the diced onion to the same skillet and cook until soft, about 3 minutes.

Cook the pasta

  1. Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until just under al dente and reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.

Build the sauce

  1. Add the butter to the skillet and let it melt.

Toast the pistachios

  1. Stir in half of the crushed pistachios and cook for about 1 minute to release their flavor.

Make it creamy

  1. Pour in the cream and broth, stirring gently to combine.

Bring it together

  1. Add the cooked onions and pancetta back to the pan.

Season the sauce

  1. Taste and adjust with salt if needed, then add crushed black pepper. The pancetta is salty, so go lightly. At this point, you can stir in some grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

Finish with pasta

  1. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. Loosen with a little reserved pasta water if needed.

Serve and garnish

  1. Serve immediately and finish with the remaining chopped pistachios, freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and a touch of cracked black pepper.

Nutrition Disclaimer

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.

Notes

  • Use unsalted pistachios so you control the seasoning of the sauce.
  • Finely crush or grind the pistachios for a smoother, creamier texture.
  • Reserve pasta water before draining. It helps loosen the sauce and makes it cling to the pasta.
  • Keep the heat low once the cream is added to prevent the sauce from breaking.Pancetta and guanciale are salty, so always taste before adding extra salt.
  • Short pasta shapes like rigatoni or penne hold the pistachio sauce best.
  • Serve immediately. The sauce thickens as it sits.

Nutrition

Calories: 405kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 27g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 134mg | Sodium: 323mg | Potassium: 116mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1751IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 0.1mg
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