This recipe is a celebration of broccoli, using the entire head to create a creamy, flavourful pesto that pairs perfectly with pasta. It’s a high-fibre meal that makes eating greens easy and delicious.
The roasted broccoli and garlic form a rich base, blended with Parmesan, toasted pine nuts, basil, and a touch of lemon zest for brightness. Combine this vibrant pesto with your favourite pasta, a splash of cooking water, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to tie it all together.
A simple, satisfying dish that’s as nutritious as it is delicious!
Pesto Broccoli Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 headbroccoli
- 40 g Parmesan cheese grated
- 1 bulb garlic you’ll need at least 3, but adjust to taste or keep for the next meal
- 25 g toasted pinenuts
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ~25g Basil
- oil salt, pepper
- pasta
Instructions
- Bake the broccoli and bulb of garlic for 10-15 mins at 180C. Let them cool down a bit before transferring into the food processor.
- Squish out the garlic cloves, I have used 3 but if you love garlic you can add a few more. Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blitz until you form a paste.
- Cook the pasta as per package instructions and drain.
- Add the pesto to the a pan, along with the pasta and some hot water. On a low heat mix until the ingredients are well combined.
- You will need quite a lot of water at this point, as the pesto will soak most of the water, judge the amount of water needed based on your preference.
- Serve with extra toasted pine nuts and fresh basil leaves. A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil is a must