TL/DR – Pistachio Pesto Macaroni. A ridiculously easy and delicious alternative to the usual pesto, this recipe uses pistachios, parsley, spinach, fresh garlic and lemon zest and is tossed with sautéed mushrooms and macaroni. –
This recipe is great for a quick, vegetarian weeknight meal or as a side for any grilled meat. In a small food processor, blend roasted, salted pistachios, garlic, olive oil, parsley, spinach, lemon zest, salt and pepper.
Slice mushrooms very thin and sauté them in olive oil with a bit of salt. Boil macaroni, (gluten free pictured here,) drain and toss it with the cooked mushrooms and the pistachio pesto.
To make it vegan, eat it as-is, but if vegetarian is OK, then sprinkle it with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese!
For another great, vegetarian weeknight pasta, try Pasta with Spinach Herb Sauce or a more traditional basil Pesto with Fennel and Radishes.
Pistachio Pesto Macaroni
A super simple pesto made with pistachios, spinach, parsley, olive oil, garlic and lemon zest, tossed with sautéed mushrooms and hot macaroni.
Ingredients
- 16 oz. macaroni
- 16 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced thinly
- 1 c baby spinach leaves, packed
- 1/2 c fresh Italian parsley leaves, packed
- 1/3 c roasted, salted, shelled pistachio nuts
- 1/3 c + 2 T extra virgin olive oil, divided
- Zest of one lemon
- 1 small clove garlic
- 1/2 t kosher salt, + 1 T, divided
- 1/4 t ground black pepper
Directions
- Step 1 Put a large pot of water on the stove to boil for the pasta. Add 1 T kosher salt to the pot.
- Step 2 Slice the mushrooms thinly, then heat the 2 T olive oil in a large skillet on high. Add the mushrooms and toss with the oil. Cook for a minute before seasoning with 1/4 t kosher salt. Lower the heat to medium-high, then allow the mushrooms to cook all of their moisture off, stirring them occasionally.
- Step 3 As the mushrooms cook and the pasta water comes to a boil,
- Step 4 place the spinach, parsley, pistachio nuts, 1/3 c olive oil, lemon zest, garlic, 1/4 t kosher salt and the black pepper into a small food processor and process until smooth, pausing once to scrape down the sides. Set the pesto aside.
- Step 5 Once the pasta has cooked, drain it well and toss it into the cooked mushrooms along with the pesto sauce. Serve immediately, topped with freshly grated Parmesan if desired.
