Tagliatelle tossed in a silky pistachio cream made from basil, garlic and Pecorino Romano, finished with crunchy, salty guanciale. This elegant, comforting pasta comes together quickly and is ready in under 30 minutes.
If you love pistachio in both sweet and savory recipes—think pistachio ice cream, cakes or a rich pistachio cream—this pasta will quickly become a favourite. The base is a bright pistachio pesto of basil, a touch of garlic, Pecorino Romano and extra virgin olive oil that gets turned into a luxurious sauce when blended with cream.
The dish is brightened by the herb and nut pesto and contrasted with crisp guanciale for texture and saltiness. Serve with a glass of wine for a simple but memorable meal.
See the recipe below with ingredient notes, step-by-step photos and practical tips. For the full printable recipe scroll to the bottom.
Ingredients
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Pistachios – choose unsalted, unroasted pistachios for the best texture and flavour.
- Guanciale – this is Italian cured pork cheek with a deep, savory flavour. If unavailable, use pancetta.
- Cheese – a combination of Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano Reggiano works well. Use either or both as you prefer.
- Garlic – only a small amount is needed to avoid an overpowering raw garlic taste.
- Pasta – any long ribbon pasta suits this sauce; tagliatelle is used here.
Visual walk-through of the recipe
This visual guide shows each step. The printable recipe and exact ingredient amounts follow below.
- Make the pesto – place the pistachios, basil, garlic, Pecorino and olive oil in a bowl and blend with an immersion blender until mostly smooth; a few small pistachio pieces are fine for texture.
- Fry the guanciale – add guanciale to a cold pan, then heat to medium-low and cook until golden and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve the rendered fat in a small ramekin to discard later.
- Cook the pasta – add pasta to plenty of salted boiling water. Tagliatelle often takes about five minutes to reach the right bite; this timing is convenient for finishing the sauce.
- Make the cream sauce – pour the heavy cream into the same pan used for the guanciale (do not wipe it clean). Bring the cream to a gentle simmer, reduce slightly, then stir in Parmigiano Reggiano and a pinch of salt and pepper until melted. Remove from heat and fold in the pistachio pesto.
- Adjust consistency – loosen the sauce with a splash of reserved pasta water a little at a time until it becomes a silky, thick coating.
- Toss pasta with sauce – transfer the drained pasta to the pan and toss to coat thoroughly. Serve immediately, scattered with the crispy guanciale.
Recipe tips
- Prep ahead – make the pistachio pesto in advance; it stores well for a day in the fridge.
- Fry guanciale gently – start in a cold pan and keep the heat medium-low so the fat renders and the meat crisps without burning.
- Sauce texture – use pasta water to loosen the sauce to a thick, silky consistency.
- Storage – cream sauces thicken as they cool. Reheat gently and loosen with water or a splash of cream when serving leftovers.
More easy and comforting pasta recipes
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Pasta e Patate (Pasta and Potatoes)
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Mushroom Spinach Pasta with Crispy Guanciale
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Pasta e Ceci (Pasta with Chickpeas)
Pasta
Pasta e Piselli (Pasta with Peas)
If you’ve tried this Pistachio Pasta recipe or any other recipe on the blog, please rate it and share your experience in the comments. I love hearing how it turned out for you!
Step By Step Photos Above
Most recipes include step-by-step photos and helpful tips to make them work the first time.
Creamy Pistachio Pasta with Crispy Guanciale
By Emily
Ingredients
For the pistachio pesto
- ½ cup (70g) unsalted unroasted pistachios
- 1 cup (10g) fresh basil
- ½ clove garlic
- ½ cup (30g) Pecorino Romano, finely grated
- 4-5 tablespoons (50ml) extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
Rest of the ingredients
- 14 oz (400g) pasta, we used tagliatelle
- 3.5 oz (100g) guanciale, can also use pancetta
- 1 cup (225ml) heavy cream
- 1/3 cup (25g) Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
Instructions
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Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt it well.
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Place all pesto ingredients in a bowl and blitz with an immersion blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
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Trim any tough casing from the guanciale and slice into strips. Fry in a large pan over medium-low heat until golden and crisp, taking care not to burn.
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Remove the guanciale and pour any rendered fat into a ramekin to discard later.
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Cook the pasta in the boiling water until al dente, then reserve a little pasta water and drain.
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In the same pan, bring the cream to a gentle simmer. Lower the heat and stir in Parmigiano Reggiano, plus salt and pepper, until melted. Turn off the heat.
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Stir the pistachio pesto into the cream and add a splash of pasta water to loosen the sauce to a silky consistency.
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Add the pasta to the pan and toss until evenly coated. Serve immediately topped with the crispy guanciale.
Notes
- Prep ahead – make the pistachio pesto ahead of time and refrigerate for up to a day.
- Frying guanciale – start in a cold pan and cook gently on medium-low to avoid bitterness from burning.
- Sauce consistency – loosen with pasta water until the sauce is thick but silky.
- Storage and leftovers – cream sauces thicken when cold. Reheat gently and thin with a splash of water or cream.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I use extra virgin olive oil unless otherwise noted.
- Vegetable sizes are assumed medium unless specified.
- Recipes are tested using a fan (convection) oven where applicable.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation.