Broccoli Pesto Pasta Recipe (Broccoli Pasta Recipe)
If you are a fan of pesto, then this broccoli pesto pasta will be a huge hit. The sauce is made with basic pesto ingredients along with that a good amount of blanched broccoli is added making this dish one of the healthiest veggie packed pasta dish.
Equipment
Cooking pot
Blender
Ingredients
For Cooking Pasta
- 150 grams Dry Spaghetti
- 2 litre Water
- 2 teaspoon Salt
For Broccoli pesto sauce
- 2 cups Broccoli cut into florets
- 3 tablespoon Pine nuts
- 1½ cup Basil Leaves
- 2 cloves Garlic peeled
- ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese
- 1 teaspoon Red Chilli Flakes
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Instructions
- Boil Water - Take water in a sauce pan, Bring lots of water to a boil. Season the water with salt.
- Blanching Broccoli - Now add in broccoli into the hot water. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the broccoli is tender and bright green colour. Strain using a slotted spoon and add it to a blender jar.
- Blanching Basil - Now in the same water, add in basil leaves. Blanch the basil for just 10 seconds. Strain it and add it into the blender jar with broccoli.
- Cooking Pasta - Now in the same water, add pasta to cook. Cook pasta as per package directions. Just before straining the pasta, reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking liquid. We will use it later.
- Toasting nuts - dry toast pine nuts in a pan until lightly toasted and golden. Remove and set aside to cool.
- Broccoli Pesto Sauce - Now make the pesto sauce. To the broccoli, basil leaves, add in garlic, parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts, lemon juice, red chilli flakes, salt. Grind them till it is coarsely ground. Now add in ¼ of the pasta cooking liquid, olive oil and make it into a smooth sauce. Taste and adjust salt, lemon to your taste.
- Tossing Pasta - Strain the pasta and take it in a bowl. Add in as much pesto sauce as needed. Pour little pasta cooking water and toss well. Let the pesto sauce coat each strands of pasta. Serve immediately with a drizzle of olive oil, extra parmesan cheese and red chilli flakes.
Notes
- Instead of using broccoli, you can use cauliflower or spinach too.
- Cooked protein like chicken, prawns, tofu can be tossed in the pasta.
- You can use almonds instead of cashews.
- Use a good amount of parmesan cheese for flavour.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Broccoli Pesto Pasta Recipe (Broccoli Pasta Recipe)
Serving Size
1 servings
Amount per Serving
Calories
710
% Daily Value*
Fat
42
g
65
%
Saturated Fat
7
g
44
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
9
g
Monounsaturated Fat
24
g
Cholesterol
9
mg
3
%
Sodium
3791
mg
165
%
Potassium
640
mg
18
%
Carbohydrates
67
g
22
%
Fiber
6
g
25
%
Sugar
4
g
4
%
Protein
20
g
40
%
Vitamin A
1897
IU
38
%
Vitamin C
86
mg
104
%
Calcium
281
mg
28
%
Iron
4
mg
22
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.