Description
A luxurious and velvety pasta dish combining nutty pistachio pesto with melting fresh burrata cheese, ready in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound (450g) spaghetti or linguine
- 2 large balls fresh burrata cheese (approx. 8 oz / 225g)
- 1 cup (120g) unsalted roasted pistachios
- 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
- 2–3 cloves fresh garlic
- 1/2 cup (50g) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 cup reserved starchy pasta water
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- In a blender or food processor, pulse pistachios until finely chopped. Add basil, garlic, Parmesan, lemon juice, and half the olive oil. Pulse until combined. Add pasta water or more oil if needed to reach desired consistency.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil. Add drained pasta and pour pesto mixture over it. Toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a silky emulsion.
- Turn off the heat. Tear burrata into large chunks and gently fold into the hot pasta. The residual heat will melt the cheese into creamy ribbons.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add more lemon juice if desired for brightness.
- Serve immediately, topped with extra chopped pistachios and a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
Do not overblend the pesto to prevent browning. Ensure the pan is off the heat when adding burrata to prevent the cheese from separating. Use fresh ingredients for best flavor. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; reheat gently with a splash of water or milk.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 35
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 60
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 22
Keywords: pasta, burrata, pesto, pistachio, quick dinner, vegetarian, creamy pasta, weeknight meal, Italian food