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Ramona's Cuisine » Main Course » Pasta dishes

Macaroni Pasta With Ground Walnuts And Cardamom

Modified: Jan 15, 2022 · Published: Apr 13, 2020 · by Ramona

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We are never running out of breakfast ideas over here. I’ve made this creamy sweet macaroni and walnut pasta version, a recipe that uses milk, macaroni pasta, ground walnut, and cardamom for a subtle flavor.

Macaroni pasta with ground walnuts
Macaroni pasta with ground walnuts and cardamom

I made this a few years back and my kids were not fond of it. They were fairly small and cardamom with young children I suppose can be a little tricky.

I had to make it again to see how this will go with them this time. Guess what? They asked me why did I not make this before for them. I did explain that I did but they didn't like it and their reply was they're happy I did give it another try.

They had a double breakfast that morning when I made this. I came downstairs a little later and they'd already had their self-made breakfast. I was starving and I really fancied this just to remind me of my breakfasts as a kid.

Those two teenagers are growing at quite a pace lately and not only that they didn’t mind a second breakfast (more of a brunch really) but they loved it and asked to be made the next day again. Hubby loved it too.

So, in the end, this macaroni pasta with ground walnuts was a real hit.

Macaroni pasta with ground walnuts and cardamom

Where does this recipe come from?

I have not researched the recipe to see if it has been made before but this originates from my family. I ate this macaroni pasta with ground walnuts or 'macaroane cu nucă' quite often. It was pretty much the only pasta I remember eating as a kid.

Savory pasta dishes were not something I grew up with. In fact, if I remember well, macaroni pasta (only the long ones) was the only type of pasta I recall seeing in the shops. Not quite sure why, maybe pasta wasn't the thing people would buy, maybe the tough regime. It could also be that my family wasn't fond of pasta in general and only bought this type. It could well be a cocktail of all these, I really cannot say.

I vividly remember my dad making macaroni with cheese ' macaroane cu branza' (mainly as a savory version) and the ground walnut as the sweet version. These were his specialty which he would make for us and we would eat the whole thing at once. Trust me, it wasn't a little amount. He still enjoys these (a lot more than he should) and so does my twin brother and his family and so do we!

It’s a nice, really nice alternative for breakfast or brunch! It’s healthier too since it contains walnuts, right?

Why are walnuts good for us?

I feel obliged to write a little about the amazing and fairly understated walnuts and their proven benefits.

  • walnuts are high in antioxidants and therefore reduce risks of certain cancers and slow aging;
  • they seem to improve gut health by increasing good bacteria production;
  • walnuts have anti-inflammatory qualities since they are a great source of magnesium and good fats like ALA (alpha-linolenic-acid) and Omega-3 which means fewer chances of getting a chronic disease especially heart-related.
  • support weight control which I find fascinating since they are quite dense calory-wise, but the way I understand it it's that they have a lower GI meaning the nutrients contained are absorbed at a slower rate keeping us full for longer.
  • walnuts also lower blood pressure, improve fertility in men, manage and lower the risks of Type 2 diabetes, they support good brain function.
  • It is enough to have one serving every other day to get great benefits from this wonderful superfood.

Variations

My addition to this dish and the difference it’s the cardamom. I do love my flavors, so I add all sorts.

  • rum essence which I greatly love as the flavor goes very well with walnuts, it is a lovely combo- the perfect marriage. I believe it is because I love cozonac (walnut brioche or also known as babka). Beautiful and super tasty? I will put my recipe up soon as my grandma's recipe and tips always make it a superb recipe.
  • replace the dairy milk with coconut milk for a completely vegan version
  • add a handful of desiccated coconut instead of sugar to keep it low sugar and get the natural sweetness from the coconut;
  • adding fresh thyme for a very special flavor
  • add lemon and lemon rind/zest for a nice Christmassy flavor
  • cinnamon is also a superb addition
  • add healthy mixes like flax seeds, goji berries, sesame, and other seeds (sunflower or pumpkin)

The combinations are numerous, make it your own, get creative, and add other healthy and not-so-healthy ingredients. And if you like walnuts, you may also like this apple and walnut pizza, these superb blue cheese and walnut boats are all great for sharing with family and friends.

Here is a glimpse of this macaroni pasta - cooking in progress 😉

macaroni in milk

For now, let's get this version served fairly quickly as I am already pretty hungry and I am sure you are too!

Macaroni pasta with ground walnuts and cardamom
Macaroni pasta with ground walnuts and cardamom

Macaroni pasta with ground walnuts and cardamom

This delicious sweet macaroni pasta dish contains milk, ground walnuts, cardamon for a very nice and distinct flavour.
5 from 22 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert, Tea Time
Cuisine: Ramona's Cuisine
Diet: Low Salt, Vegetarian
Prep Time: 2 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 23 minutes minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes minutes
Servings: 3 portions
Calories: 767kcal
Author: Ramona Sebastian
Cost: £3.50

Equipment

  • heavy bottomed pot
  • wooden spoon

Ingredients

  • 800 ml milk almond or cow’s milk
  • 250 g macaroni pasta
  • 2-3 tbsp cane sugar
  • 120 g ground walnut
  • 1 cardamom pod
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 tbsp rosemary flowers to decorate (optional)
Metric - US Imperial

Instructions

  • Add the milk to a larger pot (ideally a bottom-heavy one) salt, sugar, the slightly crushed cardamon pod, and the dry macaroni pasta.
  • Cook the pasta in the milk over medium/low heat for about 20-25 min stirring occasionally.
  • While you keep an eye on the milk and pasta giving it a stir every 30-40 seconds, take out the food processor and give the walnut kernels a few pulses until it gets to a couscous consistency.
  • When the pasta is ready (don’t overcook) take off the heat and set aside for a minute or two. Just allow it to cool a little.
  • Mix in the ground walnut and plate the pasta. Serve and enjoy. Although I love to have it hot, this is perfectly okay to have it cold too.

Notes

If you’re not a cardamom lover, replace this with vanilla or rum essence. Vanilla pods and seeds would work beautifully here.
Ground walnuts - I generally ground these in advance a little more and store them in a jar. It stores well outside for a good 4-6 weeks. Make sure they are good-quality walnuts and do not taste stale. 
Another tip that I have for you with the ground walnuts is to buy whole walnuts and break them yourself. The ready-shelled walnuts in the shops are normally bruised and most likely will taste stale. It might be luck but in my experience, there was not once that I bought ready-shelled walnuts that did not taste bad, so for me it's hand shelled option without a fail.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 767kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 134mg | Potassium: 714mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 451IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 358mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @ramonas.cuisine or tag #ramonascuisine!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Megan Stevens says

    June 23, 2020 at 9:52 am

    5 stars
    I love the beautiful simplicity of this meal, so satisfying and comfort food! Plus, the pretty flowers. We love walnuts, and I would never have thought to do this. Now I can't wait. What is your ethnic background that this was made for you as a child? Is it Italian? I looked up ‘macaroane cu nucă’ and all the references were in that language, lol, so I can't tell. Just beautiful. 🙂

    Reply
    • Ramona says

      June 23, 2020 at 10:40 am

      Hi Megan, thank you so much for your comment. It is a very nice breakfast meal, my kids LOVE it! It is in Romania, however, it is very much a family dish rather than a national one that my dad used to make for us often either with walnuts or cheese sweet or savoury so it is quite a versatile dish. I really hope you will try it, it is really nice and kids love it too. Thank you once again for your sweet comment xx

      Reply
  2. Kay says

    June 23, 2020 at 3:24 am

    5 stars
    This dish looks awesome, my daughter would love this for breakfast, lunch and dinner LOL!
    I will give this a try very soon and thanks for sharing:)

    Reply
    • Ramona says

      June 23, 2020 at 5:11 am

      Thank you so much, Kay, absolutely! We do too, it is a great dish that goes well as a breakfast or even a dessert. Really good.

      Reply
  3. Pavani says

    June 22, 2020 at 11:01 pm

    5 stars
    This is the most unique pasta dish I have ever come across and I am thinking why didn't I ever make sweet preparation with pasta. It looks and sounds absolutely delicious. Ground walnuts is an amazing touch.

    Reply
    • Ramona says

      June 23, 2020 at 5:08 am

      Thank you so much dear Pavani. It is really delicious. I make it it with coconut milk sometimes we absolutely love it for breakfast in particular. You should definitely give it a try 😉

      Reply
  4. Stine Mari says

    May 13, 2020 at 4:23 am

    5 stars
    I love cardamom in both sweet and savory dishes. This macaroni pasta looks absolutely delicious and pretty easy to make too!

    Reply
    • Ramona says

      May 14, 2020 at 5:15 pm

      Thanks, dear Stine.

      Reply
  5. Cheese Curd In Paradise says

    April 15, 2020 at 4:10 pm

    5 stars
    I bet the nutty flavors with the creamy pasta as so delicious! I love how quick and easy this meal is too! I can't wait to try it.

    Reply
    • Ramona says

      April 16, 2020 at 5:56 pm

      Indeed! So nice! I really hope you will give it a try and will love it as much as we do 😉

      Reply
  6. Choclette says

    April 15, 2020 at 1:19 pm

    5 stars
    This sounds so good. I've toyed with the idea of creating a sweet pasta for dessert a few times, but never actually got around to it. I adore walnuts, so this just has to be tried.

    Reply
    • Ramona says

      April 16, 2020 at 5:57 pm

      I know what you mean, not an easy one but this one I trust you will love 😉

      Reply
  7. Jen says

    April 15, 2020 at 7:26 am

    5 stars
    Totally unique one pot recipe. Delicious!

    Reply
    • Ramona says

      April 16, 2020 at 5:57 pm

      Thank you 😉

      Reply

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Hey, I'm Ramona and I ♥ making healthy living easy and delicious!!

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