Walnut-Ricotta Pesto Pasta
Updated August 20, 2026
Andrew Bui for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Liberty Fennell.
- Ready In
- 25 min
- Rating
- Comments
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Ingredients
1 cup walnuts
Salt
1 pound short, squiggly pasta, such as cavatappi or fusilli
1 cup ricotta
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely grated
¼ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces broccolini, cut into 2-inch lengths
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
98 grams carbs; 37 milligrams cholesterol; 929 calories; 18 grams monounsaturated fat; 17 grams polyunsaturated fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 48 grams fat; 7 grams fiber; 677 milligrams sodium; 29 grams protein; 5 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 10 minutes, until lightly golden when broken in half. Let cool for a minute or two, then use a heavy-bottomed pot or a sturdy glass or cup to crush the walnuts into very small pieces on the baking sheet.
- Step 2
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to boil. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente, according to package directions. While the pasta is cooking, whisk the ricotta, olive oil, garlic, Parmesan, nutmeg and black pepper together in a large bowl until smooth. Taste and season with salt, as needed. Stir in the crushed walnuts and set aside.
- Step 3
Once the pasta is al dente, add the broccolini to the pot and cook for another 2 minutes, until broccolini is tender and pasta is fully cooked. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking liquid and drain the pasta and broccolini in a large colander.
- Step 4
Add the pasta and broccolini to the bowl with the ricotta pesto mixture. Stir and toss vigorously until everything is evenly coated in the sauce. Add splashes of reserved pasta cooking liquid as needed to achieve a loose but creamy consistency.
- Step 5
Divide pasta among bowls and serve with more grated Parmesan and some cracked black pepper on top.
Private Notes
Comments
Pesto does not have to include basil or pine nuts, that Genovese version just happens to be the most common type of pesto we see. It actually refers to a sauce made by pounding the ingredients, so by that definition it is pesto! Can’t wait to try it, sounds delicious!
What mayo? There was none in the recipe. There are many kinds of pesto…it describes how it’s made but not what it’s made of…crushed or think “paste”
Good call on the olive oil and lemon zest.For two people I used 1/4 cup Ricotta 1TBS olive oil added lemon zest and thinned it with lemon juice in stead of the pasta water.
Really good but a little too sedate for us. Needs more salt, chilli flakes, and some lemon zest. My daughter actually made this and she added peas as well, and that was a good addition.
Google white Italian pesto and compare with this recipe. Minds will be blown. This is a simpler version of this amazing walnut pesto.
Update after making it: really good!!! Made lots of minor adjustments. Lots more garlic (7 cloves raw — I’m a Garlic Girl); whole 8oz tub whole-milk ricotta — no waste!; zest and juice of one whole lemon; eyeball the nutmeg; cut broccolini into 1 inch segments instead of 2 inch; crushing walnuts with a glass after baking works wonderfully; cook pasta to 2 mins *before* al dente, and then add broccolini — this way the dish finishes *at* al dente; lots of salt and pep and tasting throughout as you build the sauce; used a full glass-worth of heavily salted pasta water; definitely serve with pep and parm at the end!! Note to self to preheat the oven and start boiling pasta water at the same time before proceeding to measuring out walnuts and such — and it should then all come together pretty quickly. Expect it to be very easy and efficient next time, now that have done it once!