Spring Pesto Pasta with Arugula, Pistachios & Asparagus
A bright spring pasta tossed with a green pesto sauce made from arugula, pistachios, and garlic, finished with asparagus and Parmesan. This is one of my favorite quick pasta dinners when I want something light and full of flavor.
Every summer my basil plants seem to take over the garden, so I end up making big batches of pesto and freezing it for later. This pasta came about as a way to turn that pesto into a full meal. Instead of using it on its own, I blend it with arugula, pistachios, garlic, and olive oil to make a bright green sauce that’s packed with flavor.
The arugula adds a fresh, slightly peppery bite, while the pistachios bring richness and a little texture. A squeeze of lemon brightens everything up and keeps the sauce from feeling too heavy.
To make the pasta a little more complete, I cook asparagus right in the pasta water during the last few minutes. It softens just enough while keeping its fresh flavor. Everything gets tossed together with a little reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce, then finished with freshly grated Parmesan.
It’s a simple pasta, but the bright flavors really make it feel much more elevated and the pistachios as a little crunch which I love. Plus, you can get this done in less than 30 minutes.
How I Make It
This pasta comes together quickly and only uses a handful of fresh ingredients. I like to start by making the green sauce in the food processor, then cook the pasta and asparagus, and finally toss everything together.
For the Green Sauce
What you need:
- ¼ cup pesto
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 large handfuls arugula
- ½ cup salted roasted pistachios
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Add everything to a food processor and pulse until mostly smooth but still slightly textured. The arugula and pistachios help stretch the pesto and create a bright green sauce that’s full of flavor. Set the sauce aside while you cook the pasta.
For the Pasta
What you need:
- 1 pound spaghetti
- 1 pound fresh asparagus, chopped into 1–2 inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt for the pasta water
- Fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well. Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions. During the last 4 to 5 minutes of cooking, add the chopped asparagus directly into the pasta water so it cooks alongside the pasta.
Before draining the pasta, scoop out about 1 cup of pasta water and set it aside. Drain the pasta and asparagus together.
Bring Everything Together
Return the pasta and asparagus to the pot. Add the green sauce and toss everything together. If the sauce feels too thick, add a few splashes of the reserved pasta water until the noodles are nicely coated. Finish with freshly grated Parmesan and serve immediately.
Spring Pesto Pasta with Arugula, Pistachios & Asparagus
Ingredients
Notes
- Reserve pasta water before draining. It helps loosen the sauce and coat the noodles evenly.
- This pasta works well as a meatless dinner, but you can serve it with a simple seared chicken breast if you want to add more protein.
- Each serving contains about 650 calories, 18g protein, and 5g fiber.
Method
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the kosher salt.
- While the water heats, make the green sauce. Add pesto, garlic, arugula, pistachios, salt, olive oil, and lemon juice to a food processor. Blend until mostly smooth but still slightly textured.
- Cook the spaghetti according to package instructions.
- During the last 4–5 minutes of cooking, add the chopped asparagus directly to the pasta water.
- Before draining the pasta, reserve about 1 cup of pasta water.
- Drain the pasta and asparagus together and return them to the pot.
- Add the green sauce and toss to coat. Add a few splashes of the reserved pasta water until the sauce loosens and coats the noodles.
- Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
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