Sun Gold Tomato Pasta With Pistachio Gremolata
Tomato Week, Bon Appétit’s high-summer celebration of our all-time favorite fruit. Fill your totes with heirlooms and pack your pockets with Sun Golds: Each day, we’re sharing a brand new, extra-delicious way to make the most of this fleeting season.
- ¾ cup raw pistachios
- 9 garlic cloves
- 1 finely grated
- 8 thinly sliced
- ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
- ½ tsp. finely grated lemon zest
- ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more
- ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more
- 12 oz. mezzi rigatoni or rigatoni
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 1½ lb. Sun Gold tomatoes
- 1½ oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about ¾ cup)
- 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°. Toast ¾ cup raw pistachios in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, stirring halfway through, until golden brown, 10–14 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop and place in a small bowl.
- Add 1 garlic clove, finely grated, ¼ cup finely chopped parsley, ½ tsp. finely grated lemon zest, ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper to pistachios and mix to combine; set gremolata aside.
- Meanwhile, cook 12 oz. mezzi rigatoni or rigatoni in a large pot of boiling heavily salted water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 1 minute less than package instructions. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid; set pasta aside. Reserve pot.
- Heat ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil in reserved pot over medium. Add 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced, and ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes and cook, stirring often, until fragrant and garlic is softened, about 3 minutes. Add 1½ lb. Sun Gold tomatoes and cook, stirring often and pressing to break open, until slightly softened and about half are smashed, about 5 minutes. Add 1½ oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about ¾ cup), 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, and 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, and reserved pasta to pot and stir, adding pasta cooking liquid as needed, until cheese and butter are melted and a glossy sauce forms; season pasta with salt and pepper.
- Divide pasta among shallow bowls and spoon reserved gremolata over.
Here toasted pistachios are combined with garlic, parsley, lemon zest, and plenty of salt to make a crunchy, punchy topping that takes this simple pasta from good to great. The pasta features burst Sun Gold tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil, a seasonal dish that really highlights the pistachio topping. If you can’t find Sun Gold tomatoes, use any small cherry or grape tomato. Although they won’t have the same striking golden hue, they will be plenty delicious.
This recipe is a part of Tomato Week 2025, a toast to summer's best produce.