Pistachio Pesto Ramen Bowl
Cold ramen in pesto sounds like something that shouldn't work, and that's exactly why it does. Pistachio pesto is richer and nuttier than the classic pine nut version, with this almost sweet, buttery quality that coats chilled ramen noodles like it was always meant to. Cherry tomatoes burst with juice against the herbal baseline, shaved Pecorino adds salt and funk, and the whole thing comes together without turning on the stove for more than five minutes. It's a summer bowl, really, the kind you eat on a porch when it's too hot to think about broth. Somewhere in Italy a nonna is furious about this, and somewhere in Tokyo a ramen chef is intrigued. That feels about right.
Green paste, crushed and bright—cold noodles twist in summer—pistachios sing
Let Me Tell You...
I made this the first time on the hottest day in July when the idea of standing over a pot of boiling broth felt like punishment.
The ramen noodles took three minutes to cook and thirty seconds to shock in ice water, and while they drained I threw pistachios, basil, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice into a food processor and let it rip.
The pesto came out this absurd shade of green, like cartoon grass, and when I tossed it with the cold noodles they turned slippery and fragrant and looked nothing like ramen anymore.
Warm noodles absorb pesto unevenly and get mushy.
The cherry tomatoes were an afterthought.
I halved them, tossed them with salt, and let them sit while I ate a handful of pistachios directly from the bag.
By the time I added them to the bowl, they'd released just enough juice to loosen the pesto into something almost sauce-like.
Pecorino went on in big shards because I couldn't find my microplane, and honestly the irregular shavings looked better anyway.
The first bite was cold noodles, warm tomato juice, salty cheese, and that pistachio richness coating everything, and I remember thinking this is what pesto pasta wishes it could be.
They release juice that thins the pesto into a sauce.
My neighbor, who is Italian and has opinions about everything I cook, walked in, looked at the bowl, and said "that is not pasta." I said "correct," and offered her a bite.
She ate half the bowl and didn't apologize.
The ramen noodles have a chewiness that regular pasta can't match in a cold dish, and the alkaline bite plays surprisingly well against the sweet pistachio and sharp Pecorino.
It's the kind of fusion that works because both sides bring something the other is missing.
Raw ones taste flat, and salted ones make the whole thing too salty.
I've made this bowl a dozen times since that first July afternoon, and it never gets old.
Sometimes I add a handful of arugula, sometimes I leave it pure.
The pistachios do the heavy lifting, the noodles do the holding, and the tomatoes keep everything honest. Twenty minutes, no sweat, literally.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces ramen noodles (2 bricks, seasoning packets discarded)
- 1/2 cup shelled roasted unsalted pistachios (plus 2 tablespoons roughly chopped for garnish)
- 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
- 1 small clove garlic, peeled
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 1/4 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano (plus shavings for garnish)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt (plus more to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- Ice water for shocking noodles
Preparation
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook ramen noodles according to package directions (typically 2-3 minutes) until just tender. Drain immediately and plunge into a large bowl of ice water to chill completely, about 2 minutes. Drain again thoroughly and set aside.
- In a food processor, combine 1/2 cup pistachios, basil leaves, garlic clove, olive oil, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup grated Pecorino. Pulse until the mixture forms a slightly chunky paste, about 15-20 pulses. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Taste and adjust lemon juice or salt as needed.
- Toss halved cherry tomatoes with 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt in a small bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes to release juices.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine chilled ramen noodles with pistachio pesto. Toss thoroughly with tongs until every strand is coated. Add the cherry tomatoes with their juices and toss gently to combine.
- Divide the dressed noodles among serving bowls. Top with Pecorino shavings, roughly chopped pistachios, a few fresh basil leaves, and a crack of black pepper. Serve immediately at room temperature or slightly chilled.