This recipe for Penne Pasta with Punchy Pistachio Pesto is a bit of a tongue twister and definitely a mouthful of deliciousness. I call the pesto “punchy” because, like the true definition of the word punchy, this sauce is zesty and vibrant.
It’s sorta like a traditional pesto in that it has garlic, nuts, fresh basil, olive oil and parmesan. But where it stops being traditional is where I use pistachios in place of pine nuts, and vegan dairy-free parmesan in place of parmigiano reggiano.
Pistachios give this pesto an interesting flavor
This Just Like parmesan is the dairy-free parmesan I use. It’s a perfectly good sub for anyone who is dairy-free. And it’s hard to tell a major difference between this and dairy parm when it’s used in a sauce like this pesto.
For the pasta I am gluten-free so I went with a brown rice penne pasta, and I love the brand Jovial. If you have celiac or are otherwise gluten-free, this brand is great. They also have all sorts of other amazing organic products, such as jarred chickpeas, whole peeled tomatoes, gluten-free flour blends and more.
And my favorite herb company is Infinite Herbs, so look for their basil (and other herbs) in the market for recipes!
I like using a shape of pasta that will hold up to the texture and flavor of this sauce, and penne does the trick. Other shapes that would be awesome here ~ casarecce, gemelli, shells, or even spaghetti.
As for cooking perfect pasta, here are a few tips:
- Salt, salt, salt! Use plenty of water when cooking your pasta and add salt, the general rule being 1 tablespoon of salt for 4 quarts of water
- Skip the oil! Don’t add oil to the pasta water, it can prevent the sauce from sticking to the pasta
- Stir baby, stir!…your pasta often when cooking to avoid sticking. And test for doneness before the time indicated in the cooking instructions (go al dente!)
- Don’t rinse! I don’t recommend rinsing your pasta, as it removes the starch which helps the sauce stick. The exception being for some non-wheat pastas, when rinsing is recommended
- Save some water. Meaning, reserve some of the flavorful pasta water when draining the pasta, which can be used to thin out thicker sauces such as this pesto if needed
Pistachio pesto
Where else can you use this pesto?
- roasted or grilled vegetables
- grilled seafood & meats
- sammies & wraps
- crostini topping
- potato salads
- grain bowls
- salads
- risotto
And anywhere else you would use pesto!
Penne is the perfect shape for this sauce
If you make this recipe please leave a comment below or tag me here on Instagram. I love seeing your creations!
Want more pasta recipes? Check these other gluten-free vegan recipes out…
Farfalle with Herbed Ricotta
Avocado Pesto Pasta
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servings
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- 1 1/2 cups Infinite herbs fresh basil leaves loosely packed
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and smashed
- 1/4 cup roasted pistachios
- 1/4 cup vegan parmesan cheese such as Just Like by VioLife
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes optional
- 1 12-oz box penne pasta
Ingredients
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- in a food processor or blender, blend pesto ingredients (basil through crushed red pepper flakes), then season to taste with salt & pepper (yields about 1/2 cup pesto)
- cook pasta according to al dente time on box instructions, drain and reserve some of the cooking water
- to serve, toss pasta with desired amount of pesto (you may want to double pesto recipe if you like a lot of sauce); serve pasta hot or chill for a pasta salad
- recipe serves 4 as a side, 2 as a main
- see blog post for recipe tips and brand recs
Original recipe created by Jerran Boyer
www.healthnutchefs.com