Pistachio Linguine is a great side dish for chicken or seafood dinners. The classic lemon-garlic-white-wine sauce gets a boost from flavorful pistachio oil, and crunchy pistachios add texture to every bite.
This quick and easy pasta recipe is vegetarian, and can be given a healthy twist by using whole wheat linguine and adding baby spinach!
This post contains affiliate links.
I recently treated myself to a three-pack of fancy cooking oils. The set came with hazelnut, walnut, and pistachio oil. I've been using these flavorful oils to make salad dressings, and each oil gives each dressing a distinct delicious flavor.
The pistachio oil is by far the most delicious of those three. It is so flavorful and smells so good - it's got a savory umami smell, with maybe a hint of nutty Parmesan. It might sound weird, but it is good. I wish your screen was scratch-and-sniff so you can see what I am talking about!
The pistachio oil smells so good that sometimes I just open the container while I am in the kitchen, just to take a whiff. Does anyone else do that??
So I've been thinking of ways to use this oil other than in salad dressings, and I decided to try to make this pistachio linguine dish.
This is a very simple recipe that takes a classic lemony-garlic sauce and kicks it up a notch by using pistachio oil instead of olive oil. I also add dry white wine and a bit of vegetable broth (or chicken broth) to the sauce.
So you get an extra flavorful, fragrant, light sauce that sticks to the linguine perfectly. This sauce has a wonderful flavor on its own but it's not overpowering.
I top the linguine side dish with a bunch of fresh parsley and toasted pistachios, to add extra fresh flavor and a lovely crunch.
Yes, it's a little different than any other linguine dish you've had, but I promise you it is GOOD!
If you want, you can make this side dish a little healthier by using whole wheat linguine. Whole wheat pasta has a slightly coarser texture and nuttier flavor, and this actually works great in this dish with crunchy pistachios and nutty pistachio oil.
I also added baby spinach to this dish. You can definitely skip this part if that's not your thing. But... if you want to add a ton of nutrients to your cooking without making a separate vegetable side dish, wilted baby spinach makes a great addition to this recipe.
You can pack about 4 cups of baby spinach into this dish, and since it cooks down you will barely even notice it. I love adding baby spinach to pasta. Not that baby spinach tastes bad, but it's great when you are eating healthy food without even noticing it, right?
What should you serve with Pistachio Linguine?
This linguine with pistachio oil and lemony-garlicky sauce can be paired with LOTS of different dishes for dinner. It is amazing when served with my Baked Swai recipe, since that recipe essentially contains a very similar sauce. If you haven't had swai, it's a great, light tasting fish similar to tilapia. My baked swai recipe is a great main coarse to pair with this pistachio linguine.
This linguine would also go really well with this easy Brown Butter Scallops dish. The flavorful, creamy scallops would be delicious with a nutty pasta with a light lemon-garlic sauce.
So if you are thinking about making this side dish, I urge you to go ahead and make it for dinner this week! It's a very easy recipe and it will not disappoint.
You can find pistachio oil next to all the olive oils in the grocery store, or you can order it on Amazon here. La Tourangelle is the brand I have and I can vouch for its deliciousness. A little bit of this oil goes a long way to making a very flavorful dressing or sauce. It would also be amazing drizzled on bruschetta or on ricotta toast with some toasted crushed pistachios. If you are looking to treat yo'self, I would recommend trying out a fancy nut oil such as this pistachio oil.
Shop for this recipe:
Don't forget to leave a rating in the recipe card below and save this recipe on Pinterest for later!
Pistachio Linguine
Ingredients
- 1 16-oz box whole wheat linguine - (spaghetti or fettuccine can be used too)
- water for cooking pasta
- 6 tablespoons pistachio oil - , divided
- 3 cloves garlic - , minced
- ⅔ cup pistachios - , shells removed (about 1+⅓ cup with shells)
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ½ cup vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice - (from 1 lemon)
- ½ teaspoon salt - (or to taste)
- black pepper - , to taste
- 4 cups baby spinach - , optional
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves - , chopped
- Optional garnish: Shaved Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. Drain and rinse under cool water for a minute. Transfer the cooked pasta back into the pot and stir in 2 tablespoons pistachio oil.
- While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce: In a large skillet, heat 4 tablespoons of pistachio oil over medium heat and add the minced garlic. Let garlic cook in the oil for 2-3 minutes, until it starts to turn golden brown. Add the white wine, chicken/vegetable stock, and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and let it simmer for 3-5 minutes. If you are using low sodium broth, you'll need about ½ teaspoon of salt. If your broth is salty, use less.
- When the sauce has simmered for 3-5 minutes, add the spinach leaves and stir them until they wilt completely. You might have to add them in several batches because they just take up too much space in the skillet.
- Roughly chop the pistachios (or break them up with your hands, or put them in a zip lock bag and give them a good smack with a frying pan!). Heat a medium skillet over medium heat and add the pistachios. Toast them for about 3 minutes, until they are warm and fragrant. But be careful not to burn them!
- Add the cooked linguine to the sauce mix well. Stir in the roasted pistachios and chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately, making sure to scoop the good stuff from the bottom of the pot over the linguine on the plate - that is where all the extra sauce and extra chopped pistachios will hang out. Garnish with some shaved Parmesan cheese and drizzle with more pistachio oil if you like.
Nutrition
The nutritional information displayed is an estimate and not to be used as dietary or nutritional advice. Consult a nutritionist or dietician for nutritional info based on the exact ingredients you use.
Shop for this recipe:
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef
Wednesday 22nd of April 2015
I'd love this linguine with the pistachio oil and all the other good things. I use macadamia oil quite a bit and I really like it. I haven't seen pistachio oil around so I'll have to look for it.