Key Takeaways
Chef Philip Guardione’s go-to protein-packed pasta sauce is a creamy pistachio pesto made with ricotta, Parmigiano Reggiano, basil, and olive oil—ready in just minutes.The sauce is not only rich and velvety but also nutrient-dense, offering protein, calcium, and healthy fats from its simple, wholesome ingredients.For the best results, toss it with short pasta for easy mixing and finish with a splash of starchy pasta water to enhance the sauce’s silky texture and flavor.
Pasta is a popular ingredient to cook with, and it serves as the backbone for hundreds and hundreds of satiating lunch and dinner recipes, not to mention hearty pasta salads that thrive as barbecue and picnic sides. When making pasta, you’re faced with (at minimum) two important questions: what pasta shape are you choosing, and what sauce will coat your pasta?
According to Philip Guardione, chef and owner of the Piccola Cucina restaurant group in New York, pasta shape is (mostly) a matter of personal preference. “While certain shapes have traditional sauce pairings (such as trofie and pesto, tagliatelle and ragù, and bucatini all’amatriciana), in my opinion, there’s no set in stone rule: it really just depends on what you like.”
In other words, feel free to pair your favorite pasta shape with your go-to sauce. When cooking for a crowd, however, Guardione offers this helpful tip to make the most of your dish. “If you’re cooking for a large group or for your family, go with short pasta,” he explains. “[Short pasta] is easy to ‘mantecare’ as we say in Italian, or mix all together to create a nice uniform sauce.”
Speaking of sauce, it’s a common misconception that the best pasta sauces need to simmer on the stove for hours. While long-simmering sauces are tasty, Guardione has a few “go-to” options that come together in minutes. For a sauce that isn’t tomato-based, Guardione whips up a velvety pesto made with just five ingredients—pistachios, Parmigiano Reggiano, fresh ricotta, basil, and olive oil—and a blender.
Here’s the step-by-step recipe, which makes four servings:
Ingredients:
⅔ cup shelled pistachios1.5 oz. freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano 10-15 fresh basil leaves⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil3.5 oz. fresh ricotta cheese (slightly less than a cup)Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
In a food processor or blender, combine the pistachios, Parmigiano Reggiano, basil, and a pinch of salt.
Start blending, slowly adding the olive oil until the sauce has a creamy texture.
Add the fresh ricotta and blend briefly again until everything is well combined. The pesto should remain creamy and not too runny.
Taste the pesto and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
Toss the pesto with the cooked pasta of your choice, off the heat.
“The result is a delicate and creamy sauce,” Guardione shares. Aside from its smooth texture and rich taste, this easy-to-make pesto also happens to be packed with protein, calcium, and other key nutrients thanks to healthy ingredients such as ricotta, pistachios, and anti-inflammatory olive oil.
And if you want to add even more flavor to this quick and hearty homemade pesto, don’t forget the pasta water! “Remember to set aside a ladle of starchy pasta water, and then add it to your sauce for an extra boost of silkiness and flavor,” Guardione concludes.
Dining and Cooking