One of the easiest pasta dishes you'll ever make, this Sicilian pasta with creamy pistachio sauce is ready in the time it takes to cook your pasta! A simple yet decadent pasta recipe made with chopped pistachios in a cream sauce along with sautéed pancetta that's creamy, crunchy, salty and oh so satisfying!
This easy pistachio pasta recipe, or pasta al pistacchio, is perfect for quick weeknight dinners yet elegant enough to serve to dinner guests. Made with just a handful of ingredients, it doesn't get any easier than this!
Sicily is known for it's production of pistachios, referred to as green gold due to their vibrant color, that grow at the base of Mt Etna in Bronte. Did you know that pistachios are harvested only every second year?
Sicilians add pistachios in so many dishes, both sweet and savory, such as pistachio and Nutella cake; veal involtini; pistachio pesto; and pistachio amaretti, to name just a few.
Why this recipe works
- It's ready in the time that it takes to boil your pasta.
- All you need are 6 simple ingredients to prepare it.
- The pistachio cream sauce is a delicious combination of flavors and textures: salty pancetta; crunchy nutty pistachios and cream for a wonderful smooth texture.
- It's so simple that it's perfect for a quick weeknight meal yet fancy enough to serve to dinner guests.
Ingredient list
- Pasta of your choice: I prefer a medium length pasta such as elicoidali (as shown above), penne or rigatoni. The ridges and holes in the pasta are perfect for 'catching' the sauce.
- Pancetta: if you can't find pancetta in your local grocery store bacon will do. Simply omit it for a vegetarian dish.
- Onion: finely diced
- Pistachios: chopped, unsalted pistachios
- Heavy cream (or 35% cooking cream)
- Lots of freshly grated Parmigiano or Pecorino Romano cheese for serving.
What type of pistachios work well for this recipe?
I purchased my pistachios already chopped, called granella di pistacchio, during my last trip to Sicily. However, you may use any variety of shelled, unsalted pistachios.
It is best to chop them by hand as a food processor will quickly turn your pistachios to dust! Try my mom's easy method of placing the nuts on a clean dish towel, fold it over and crush them with meat mallet; rolling pin or even the end of a glass until you have the desired consistency.
The following are step by step instructions with images to guide you through this recipe. Please scroll to the end of this post for the detailed printable recipe card.
Step by Step Instructions
- Toast the chopped pistachios in a dry pan until fragrant. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than the suggested cooking time. Reserve some of the cooking water before draining it.
- Meanwhile, heat a skillet large enough to hold the pasta, on medium high heat. Add the cubed pancetta and cook, stirring, until it has rendered it's fat and is crisp, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the pancetta to a bowl and add the diced onion to the pan.
- Cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in about ½ of the chopped pistachios and stir to coat.
- Pour in the cooking cream and cook on medium heat for 1 minute.
- Drain the pasta and add to the skillet. Stir in the reserved pancetta and toss to coat the pasta in the cream sauce. Add 2 tbsp. grated cheese to create a creamier consistency.
- If the sauce is too thick, add a ladle or two of pasta water to thin it as needed.
- Serve immediately garnished with the remaining chopped pistachios and extra grated cheese at the table.
PRO TIP: Reserve some of the pasta water and add as needed to thin the sauce.
Recipe Notes
Crushed nuts added to pasta are delicious! Other possibilities include almonds (just like I added in this recipe for pasta with rapini) or walnuts.
Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
I prefer medium length pasta shapes such as penne rigate; rigatoni or cavatappi as the sauce clings well to them.
If you prefer a longer pasta, I recommend fettuccine.
And if you want to pair this sauce with fresh homemade pasta try gnocchi; cavatelli or busiate.
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know how much you enjoyed it by rating it in the recipe card below!
*****
Check out more simple pasta recipes
- Pasta with Broccoli
- Pistachio Pesto Shrimp Pasta
- Sicilian Cucuzza with Pasta
- Sicilian Pasta with Anchovies and Breadcrumbs
- Pasta with Ricotta
- Creamy Chickpeas with Pasta
- Pasta with Tuna and Peas in Cream Sauce
- Pasta with Potatoes
- Pasta with Zucchini and Mushrooms
- Pasta with Chickpeas in Tomato Sauce
- Pasta with Peas and Potatoes
- Pasta with Potatoes in Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 150 grams pancetta cut into small cubes
- 1 small onion finely diced
- ¾ cups chopped pistachios unsalted
- 2 cups heavy cream (or 35% cooking cream)
- 500 grams pasta penne, rigatoni or other of your choice
- 2 tbsp. grated Parmigiano or Pecorino Romano cheese plus more for serving
Instructions
- Place the chopped pistachios in a dry pan and toast them until fragrant.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until very al dente, about 2 minutes less than the suggested cooking time. Reserve some of the cooking water.
- Meanwhile, heat a skillet large enough to hold the pasta, on medium high heat. Add the cubed pancetta and cook, stirring, until it has rendered it's fat and is crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer the pancetta to a bowl.
- Add the diced onion to the pan. Cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in about ½ of the crushed pistachios and stir to coat.
- Pour in the cooking cream and cook on medium heat for 1 minute.
- Drain the pasta and add to the skillet. Stir in the reserved pancetta and toss to coat the pasta in the cream sauce.
- Add 2 tbsp. of grated cheese to create a creamier consistency. If the sauce is too thick, add a ladle or two of pasta water to thin it as necessary
- Serve immediately garnished with the remaining chopped pistachios and extra grated cheese at the table.
Notes
If you prefer a longer pasta, I recommend fettuccine.
And if you want to pair this sauce with fresh homemade pasta try gnocchi; cavatelli or busiate.
Christina H.
We just returned from vacation in Italy and had something similar in Venice. The only difference was the one we had Orecchiette pasta and it was served with seared sea scallops. This sauce is he first I've seen that resembles it so closely with minimal cheese. Can't wait to try it.
Nadia
Hi Christina, I'm sure this dish would be delicious with any type of pasta and I love the idea of adding scallops. I have another recipe on my blog with shrimp, pasta and pistachio pesto as well. Either way I do hope you enjoy it and thank you for your comment!
Jordan holland
I just made it! I ate every bit! I cook thr sauce longer maybe 10 minutes simer8ng to thicken up and grated a tablespoons of lemon zest yhat I incorporated into sauce. So good thank u!
Nadia
Hello Jordan, I'm so glad you enjoyed it and thank you for taking a moment to comment!
Maria
I made this last night and had to come back to write a review because it was absolutely delicious! It was very easy to put together and the payoff was amazing. Highly recommend.
Nadia
Thank you Maria, I really appreciate your feedback!
Phil
Changed the amounts to serve 3 (so we would have some leftovers fot lunch!) and used Guanciale instead of pancetta because I had some in the freezer. My wife and I both loved it and plan to serve it to guests in a couple of weeks. Thanks!
Nadia
Hello Phil, so glad you enjoyed this recipe. I'm sure it works just as well with guanciale instead of pancetta. Thank you for your comment!
Felix B
Excellent recipe, absolutely delicious. Super easy to make. I love the fact that it consist of only a few ingredients. Definitely gonna make this again!
Nadia
Hello Felix, yes it is so incredibly easy, so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for your comment!
Debbie
Omg this is delicious! Pancetta is hard to find so I might try bacon the next time. So very, very good.
Nadia
Hi Debbie, so glad to hear you enjoyed this easy pasta recipe and feel free to substitute according to the ingredients you have on hand. Thanks!
Maia
Absolutely delicious. Really easy and fast to make. So tasteful and pretty in the plate.
Nadia
Thank you Maia I'm thrilled to hear that you enjoyed this wonderful, easy recipe!
Frank
This sounds awesome! I've made something similar with walnuts but not with pistachios. And I love pistachios! Can't wait to try it.
Nadia
Hi Frank it was really good and so easy to make, it's a joke. Actually I do enjoy all types of nuts with pasta. Another favorite is my pasta with rapini recipe with chopped almonds, the nutty flavor goes really well with the pasta. Hope you enjoy it!
Mary Caldwell
Hello, this recipe looks delicious and I'd love to make it. I'm unsure what 35% cooking cream would be in the U.S. Would half & half (50% milk, 50% cream) be a good substitute? Thank you! 🙂
Nadia
Hello Mary, good question! In my neck of the woods (in Canada) I purchase 35% cream but from what I understand that would be called heavy cream elsewhere! Half and half would work for a lighter version of the recipe for sure, although I guess the sauce won't be as thick but I don't see why it wouldn't work. Thanks for your question!