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Sage and Chestnut Pesto Linguine – A seasonal, herb forward and garlicky pesto tossed through silky linguine and loaded with charred brussels sprouts and lots of cheese. A family favourite during chestnut season!

Sometimes, I make pesto just so I have a semi-legitimate excuse to make a pasta dish. That’s normal right?

But seriously, what else was I expected to do with a jar full of a creamy and garlicky sage and chestnut pesto? A rummage in the fridge produced some overlooked Brussels sprouts and one of my all-time favourite pasta dishes was born.

Why you’ll Love this Sage and Chestnut Pesto Linguine Recipe

Homemade pesto. What makes this pasta dish so tasty is the homemade pesto you won’t find in any store. Sweet roasted chestnuts form the base for a pungent sage and oregano pesto packed with flavour.

Charred brussels. When brussels sprouts are cooked properly, a little charred, and smothered in lemon, they’re delicious and flavourful. And the perfect pairing to the sage and chestnut pesto.

Make ahead. You can roast the chestnuts for the pesto ahead of time. You can even make the pesto ahead of time and store it in the fridge for 2-3 days before using. Do make sure to bring it room temperature before using it.

Filling and satisfying. This Sage and Chestnut Pesto Linguine has pasta, veggies and cheese, leaving everyone satisfied. If you really need to add a protein, roast chicken would be the way to go.

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Sage and Chestnut Pesto Linguine Recipe Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this deliciously rich, garlicy and herby pasta recipe:

For the Sage and Chestnut Pesto:

The nuts. Here we’re swapping out the traditional pine nuts for chestnuts. Once roasted, chestnuts become softer with a buttery bite, and sweeter, in a sweet potato kind of way. Their texture makes a smooth base for this Sage and Chestnut Pesto.

The herbs. Chestnuts and sage are a flavour match that’s often overlooked outside of the holidays. The sage balances the buttery chestnuts with its pungent aroma and taste. But don’t leave out the oregano; too much sage on its own can become bitter.

The cheese. I used Grana Padano to better pair with the richness of the chestnuts. You can use Parmesan, but consider using less so it doesn’t become too rich and cheesy in flavour. I wouldn’t recommend pecorino though.

The oil. I would only recommend using extra virgin olive oil to make homemade pesto. The amount of oil you’ll need will differ depending on your herbs. Sage and oregano hold less water than the basil used in traditional pesto.

The flavour enhancers. A couple of cloves of garlic, a squeeze of lemon for brightness and salt is all you need to make this Sage and Chestnut Pesto come together.

For the Pasta:

Linguine. I used linguine because that’s what I had but it turned out to be a good shape for the pesto. The pesto clung to the flat silky noodles so everything was coated and flavourful. Fettuccini and spaghetti would also work quite well, though pappardelle and angel hair would be a bit harder to mix well.
Brussels sprouts. Sprouts are best friends with both chestnuts and sage, and the perfect veggie for this pesto pasta. Toasty and just charred broccoli or broccolini could also work if you’re in a pinch or truly hate sprouts.
Extra oil. Just a little extra oil to help the Brussels sprouts turn golden brown and
Extra cheese. And a little extra cheese to serve over the top of each bowl of pasta.

Find the exact quantities in the recipe card below.

How to Make this Sage and Chestnut Pesto Linguine Recipe

You can serve this Sage and Chestnut Pesto Linguine just as it is, in a bowl heaped with sprouts and extra cheese. Though a crisp green salad and cheesy garlic bread would not be unwelcome.

Here’s the quick rundown on how to make the recipe.

To make the pesto:

Roast and peel the chestnuts.
Blitz the chestnuts, garlic and Grana Padano in a small food processor or immersion blender chopping bowl until the chestnuts resemble breadcrumbs.
Add the sage, oregano, lemon juice, salt and ¼ of the oil and blitz again. Scrape down the side of the processor, add more oil and continue blitzing until the desired consistency is reached – less oil makes a chunkier pesto for a dip, more oil makes a smoother pesto for a spread or pasta sauce.

To make the pasta:

Cook the pasta as per the packet directions. Make sure to reserve a cup full of the pasta water.
Sauté the Brussels sprouts until golden brown and starting to char on the edges.
When ready to serve, remove everything from the heat – pesto can turn black if things get too hot!
Add the pasta to the Brussels sprouts, followed by 2-3 heaped tablespoons of pesto, and some of the pasta water.
Mix gently until the pesto becomes and emulsified sauce, adding more pesto and pasta water as needed.

Love pasta and noodles? Try these recipes too:

Have you made this Sage and Chestnut Pesto Linguine yet? Be sure to leave me a comment and let me know. Or take a pic and tag me over on Instagram, I love seeing what you guys are making from the blog!

Sage and Chestnut Pesto Linguine

Print Pin Rate

Course: Mains, Pasta and Noodles, Vegetarian

Cuisine: Italian, Western

Diet: Brussels Sprouts, Chestnuts, linguine, Sage

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 1

Servings: generously

Author: Eff | Food Daydreaming

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Pesto

120 g chestnuts
10 g pack sage, stems on, woody ends removed
10 g pack oregano, picked
50 g Grana Padano or Parmesan, finely grated
2 cloves of garlic
Juice from half a lemon
Pinch of salt
100-200 ml extra virgin olive oil

For the Pasta

1 tablespoon olive oil
200 g Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
250 g linguine
Extra Grana Padano or parmesan to serve

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200C.
Gather the chestnuts and make a horizontal cut across the top of the whole nut, and one cut on each side, providing a larger surface area for the skin to split open and make it easier to peel the nuts. Try not to cut the nut itself (though it’s not the end of the world if you do).
120 g chestnuts
Arrange the nuts on a baking tray in a single layer, cut side up, and roast for 30-35 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when they’re golden brown and tender, and the skin has pulled away from the cuts you made.
Remove the chestnuts from the oven, wrap them up in a towel and set aside for 5-10 minutes to steam and cool.
When cool enough to handle – but still quite hot – peel the chestnuts of both the outer and inner skin layers. The cooler chestnuts get, the harder they are to peel. If you like, reserve a few chestnuts pieces to crumble over the top of the pasta.
Roughly break up the nuts into smaller pieces and put them in a bowl of a food processor or immersion blender chopping bowl. Add the garlic cloves and grana Padano and blitz until the chestnuts are a breadcrumb consistency.
Add the sage and oregano, lemon juice and salt, and a quarter or so of the oil and pulse again. Little by little, add oil and pulse until it becomes a pesto consistency – less oil for a thicker, chunkier pesto for dips and sauces, more oil for a smoother, thinner pesto for pasta sauces, vinaigrettes and spreads.
10 g pack sage, 10 g pack oregano, 50 g Grana Padano or Parmesan, 2 cloves of garlic, Juice from half a lemon, Pinch of salt, 100-200 ml extra virgin olive oil
Set the pesto aside if making the pasta the same day or store in the fridge for 2-3 days.
To make the Sage and Chestnut Pesto Linguine, start by heating the oil in a large frying pan or chef pan with high sides. Sauté the Brussels sprouts over medium heat, cut side down, until they start to turn golden brown, around 5-7 minutes. Stir and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender.
200 g Brussels sprouts, 1 tablespoon olive oil
Meanwhile, cook the pasta as per the packet directions and drain, making sure to reserve a cup of the pasta cooking water.
250 g linguine
When ready to serve, remove everything off the heat (pesto turns black if things are too hot). Add the drained pasta to the frying pan with the Brussels sprouts, add 2-3 tablespoons of pesto on top and ¼ of the reserved pasta cooking water. Gently mix until the pesto becomes and emulsified sauce, adding more pesto and pasta cooking water as needed.
Scatter the reserved chestnuts over the top (if you kept them), add extra cheese and serve.
Extra Grana Padano or parmesan to serve

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Nutrition

Sage and Chestnut Pesto Linguine