Parmesan Pistachio Orecchiette

Last updated on January 24, 2021 by Liza Hawkins

This creamy parmesan pistachio orecchiette is the right mix of simple ingredients and big flavor! That’s right, you heard me, pistachios and pasta. That mash-up’s one of those things that sounds a little odd when you hear it, but after you try it you’re like … where have you been all my life?!

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Now lemme tell you.

I can barrel through a bag of salted pistachio nuts — shells on — in less time than it would take the average person to, well, do almost anything. They’re sooooo good.

I found an online recipe for “Pistachio Pasta” a few years ago that was inspired from a recipe in The Frankies Sputino Kitchen Companion & Cooking Manual.

Albeit a little weird-sounding at first, it was pretty easy for me to get on board with the thought of marrying pistachios with pasta, even though the only other other recipes I’d eaten them in to that point were sweet, like cookies.

Taking notes, I wanted to try and recreate that pasta recipe myself. It sounded so interesting … the flavors, the textures, all of it!

Plus, it’s a quick one to make (which I love), and it’s flexible for both meat-eaters and vegetarians alike. 

My crew appreciates chicken or shrimp with a dish like this, but I’ll be honest — it wasn’t missed. Between the pasta shape and the pistachios, it does the job of being (and feeling) filling, without the added protein from meat.

Give it a whirl!

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Yield: 6

Parmesan Pistachio Orecchiette

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

This creamy parmesan and pistachio orecchiette is the right mix of simple ingredients and big flavor!

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Ingredients

• 1 pound dry orecchiette
• 2 tablespoons sea salt
• 1-1/2 cups salted pistachios, roughly chopped (Tip: buy them already shelled!)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 3 tablespoons freshly chopped mint
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan & Romano cheeses
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup reserved pasta water

Instructions

1. Fill a large pot with water, add the salt and then bring it to a boil.
2. Add the orechiette and cook until it’s al dente, about 11 minutes, then drain it. Don’t forget to save 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining the orecchiette! Add the pasta back to the pot and reduce the heat to low.
3. Combine the olive oil, garlic, mint, cheese and pistachios in a mixing bowl, then add the mixture to the orecchiette along with the pasta water. Keep stirring until it’s mixed well and a creamy sauce starts to develop.
4. Fold in the onions, and then serve the pasta warm with extra cheese and mint for garnish.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 280Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 2370mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 0gSugar: 5gProtein: 6g