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Fennel seeds are often relegated to sausages or spice mixes, but their true aromatic charm shines when toasted and crushed into a sauce. In this wildly unique pasta dish, they’re blitzed into a vibrant pesto made with pistachios, parsley, lemon and olive oil. It’s herby, nutty, slightly sweet—and layered with aniseed warmth. Charred courgettes bring smoky softness, while the fennel-pistachio pesto clings to each strand of pasta like a green hug.
This recipe is a celebration of contrasts: smoky and fresh, creamy and spiced. It’s the kind of dish that makes people pause mid-bite and say, “Wait, what is IN this?”
Preparation: 15 mins
Cooking: 15 mins
Total: 30 mins
Serves 2:
150g linguine or tagliatelle
1 tbsp fennel seeds
40g shelled pistachios
1 small garlic clove
1 small bunch of flat-leaf parsley (leaves only)
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of half a lemon
60ml extra virgin olive oil (plus extra for courgettes)
2 courgettes, sliced lengthways
Sea salt and black pepper
Optional: shaved pecorino or vegan alternative to finish
Toast the fennel seeds in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant and golden. Tip into a blender or food processor.
Add the pistachios, garlic, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice and a generous pinch of sea salt. Pulse to a coarse paste.
Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while blending until you have a thick, spoonable pesto. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Cook the pasta in well-salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 100ml of the pasta water before draining.
While the pasta cooks, brush the courgette slices with oil and sear in a hot grill pan until charred and tender. Season well.
Return the pasta to the pan, stir through the pesto and a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen. Toss gently until coated.
Plate the pasta, top with charred courgettes, a few chopped pistachios, a drizzle of olive oil and shaved pecorino if using.
Calories: 560 kcal
Protein: 13g
Carbohydrates: 55g
Fat: 34g
Fibre: 6g
The ingredients used in this recipe could also be used to create…
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