Subscribe to get access
Read more of this content when you subscribe today.
Roasted Broccoli Pesto Pasta
Chunky style pesto blended with roasted broccoli crowns, garlic, whole pecans, and parsley. With a healthy drizzle of olive oil, lemon and flaked salt.
Its no secret I love making pesto. I have quiet a few unique ones that i love to throw in the rotations like the red walnut or pistachio. My favorite thing about pesto is how much range they have. You can change a pesto up simply by the base. You could use any vegetable or herb to be the main flavor of your pesto like asparagus, basil, romesco, etc. You can change up the cheese instead of using grated parmesan you could add asiago or manchego. You could make it creamy by whipping in some ricotta. Or keep it vegetarian with some soft tofu. Change up the crunch with pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, etc. Pestos are truly limitless. Just make sure to finish it off with some acid and salt. Check out my tips and tricks below for the best roasted broccoli pesto. Try this recipe out and let me know what you think.
TIPS & TRICKS FOR THE BEST ROASTED BROCCOLI PESTO
roast the bulbs whole: for the pesto you want to roast the broccoli bulbs in large chunks. you don’t want to chop it down too much prior to cooking so that the outside chars while it still has something to hold onto. to keep the dish less woody and earthy i remove the tougher parts of the stems so that it doesn’t disrupt the texture of the pesto.
save the pasta water: to help with the texture and smoothness. i like to reserve some of my salty pasta water that the noodles cooked in. that way i can add it in with the sauce and noodles and it will thicken around everything. that will help everything bind together and remain silky.
good olive oil: pesto are about the herbs or veggies and the olive oil. the pesto should be able to be eaten on its own. so the oil used matter. a canola oil is going to be a missed flavor opportunity. i like to use olive oil, sunflower oil, and avocado. the sunflower and avocado oil need to be sampled prior to use since they have a tendency to go rancid quickly.
undercook the pasta: im only talking undercooking by a minute or two. it should be mostly done. since this pesto can be a lot thinner than normal pasta sauce. the noodles benefit greatly from taking some time to come together in the pan. you want to move quickly once you drain the pasta and reserve some water. add everything to the pan. including grated cheese and toss it with tongs till it starts to coat the pasta.
SIMILAR INGREDIENTS TO:
- RED WALNUT PESTO
- PISTACHIO PESTO FETTUCCINI WITH SHRIMP.
- ROASTED CHICKEN & HALOUMI TOPPED W/ CALABRIAN CHILI PESTO
ENJOY THIS RECIPE WITH:
Roasted Broccoli Pesto
Chunky style pesto blended with roasted brocolli crowns, garlic, whole pecans, and parsley. With a healthy drizzle of olive oil, lemon and flaked salt.
Ingredients
- 2 crowns broccoli
- 10 cloves garlic
- 2 Tb pecans
- 1/2 c olive oil
- 1/4 c pasta water
- salt
- pepper
- 1/4 c parmesan cheese
- 1/4 c parsley
- 1 Lemon juiced + zested
- 1 lb Spaghetti
- 2 c Spinach fresh
- 2 roma tomatoes diced
Instructions
- Toss broccoli, garlic, and pecans in 1tsp olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Roast at 375 for 20 minutes
- Place cooled and roasted broccoli, garlic and pecans into a food processor. Start on low and add in parsley and cheese.
- Slowly drizzle in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add in Lemon juice and zest.
- Once pasta is cooked according to package instructions. Add pasta back in with spaghetti.
- Add in spinach, tomatoes, extra cheese, black pepper, and pesto.
- Toss till combined thickened then serve
WANNA SEE MORE PHOTOS? FOLLOW ME !
2 responses to “Roasted Broccoli Pesto Pasta”
Broccoli and roast almond pesto is a family favourite! This looks yumm!
This looks so yummy 🤤
Anna // http://www.stralthy.com