Walnut-Ricotta Pesto Pasta
A creamy, nutty pasta dish with a vibrant walnut-ricotta pesto, perfect for a quick and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Walnuts
- 1 cup walnuts (roasted and crushed)
- Salt Salt (to taste)
- 1 pound short, squiggly pasta (such as cavatappi or fusilli)
- 1 cup ricotta
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic (finely grated)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan (plus more for serving)
- ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- to taste Freshly ground black pepper
- 8 ounces broccolini (cut into 2-inch lengths)
Instructions
- Roast walnuts at 350°F for 10 minutes, then crush into small pieces.
- Cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Simultaneously, whisk ricotta, olive oil, garlic, Parmesan, nutmeg, and black pepper until smooth.
- Add broccolini to pasta water in the last 2 minutes, then drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid.
- Mix crushed walnuts into the ricotta sauce, then toss with pasta and broccolini, adding reserved liquid to loosen the sauce.
- Serve with grated Parmesan and black pepper on top.
Notes
For extra flavor, sprinkle additional Parmesan before serving.