Broccoli Pesto Pasta
This Broccoli Pesto Pasta is a new favorite and it's got one special, secret ingredient that gives it a super tangy flavor! Bet you'd never guess!
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 489kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups broccoli, cut into florets
- 1 lb. uncooked pasta, rigatoni or penne
- 3 Tbsp. pine nuts
- 1 cup green olives, pitted
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- kosher salt, for seasoning
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rapid boil. Add the broccoli florets and cook for one minute. Transfer the broccoli to a food processor or blender with a slotted spoon.
- Bring the water back to a boil and add the pasta, cooking until al dente according to package directions. Drain the pasta, reserving one cup of the pasta water in a measuring cup.
- In a small saucepan, cook the pine nuts over medium heat until toasted and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
- Add the pine nuts to the food processor or blender along with the olives, basil, garlic, cheese, pepper and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Pulse until well combined.
- With the processor on, add the olive oil slowly, stopping to scrape the sides as needed, until the pesto is pureed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- In a large bowl, toss the pasta with a desired amount of the pesto, thinning with extra pasta water two tablespoons at a time as needed. Serve.
Notes
I used shellbows from Delallo for this dish. You can also use penne or rigatoni or your favorite kind of pasta shape.
Use as much of the pesto on your pasta as you enjoy and just refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container.
As per Kelly's recommendation, you can also freeze any leftover pesto in ice cube trays covered in plastic wrap. When you're in the mood for pesto again, just take the tray out of the freezer, pop out a cube or two and defrost in the microwave or on the stovetop with your pasta.