Pesto Pasta Perfection: Your New Weeknight Obsession!
Try this Lemony Broccoli Pesto Pasta recipe for a quick and delicious meal. Fresh basil, zesty lemon, and tender broccoli create a bright, fresh flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 pound uncooked pasta (I used mezze rigatoni)
- 2 1/2 cups (8 ounces) broccoli florets
- 1 cup (1 ounce) fresh basil leaves (tightly packed)
- 1 cup (1 ounce) freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds
- 1 large handful (2 ounces) fresh baby spinach
- 2 large cloves garlic
- 1 large lemon (zest and juice)
- 1/2 teaspoon each: fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Boil the water. Bring a large stockpot of generously-salted water to a boil over high heat.
- Cook the broccoli. Once the water is boiling, add the broccoli and stir to combine. Cook for 3 minutes or until tender. Use a spider strainer or a slotted spoon to transfer the broccoli to a food processor, leaving the remaining water boiling in the stockpot.
- Cook the pasta. Add the pasta to the stockpot and cook until *just* al dente.
- Prepare the pesto. Add the basil, Parmesan, pine nuts, spinach, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper to the food processor. Pulse to blend while slowly drizzling in the olive oil until the mixture is smooth. Scoop out ΒΌ cup of the starchy boiling pasta water and add it to the pesto. Pulse until super-smooth and creamy. (If needed, add extra pasta water to achieve that super-smooth consistency.)
- Toss. Once the pasta is al dente, scoop out an additional 1/2 cup of the starchy boiling pasta water and set it aside. Strain the pasta and return it to the stockpot. Add the broccoli pesto and toss to combine. If the pesto seems at all dry, add in a bit of the starchy water and toss to combine.
- Serve. Serve warm, garnished with extra Parmesan and a twist of black pepper, and enjoy!
Notes
- Save that starchy pasta water! It's liquid gold for emulsifying your pesto and achieving a silky smooth sauce.
- Don't overcook the broccoli; a slight tenderness is perfect for blending into the pesto.
- For a richer pesto, toast your pine nuts until fragrant before adding them. Be careful not to burn them.
- If you don't have basil, spinach can be used as a base, though the flavor will be milder. Nutrition information is an estimate, calculated automatically. Values vary with brands, substitutions and portion sizes.
- Don't overcook the broccoli; a slight tenderness is perfect for blending into the pesto.
- For a richer pesto, toast your pine nuts until fragrant before adding them. Be careful not to burn them.
- If you don't have basil, spinach can be used as a base, though the flavor will be milder. Nutrition information is an estimate, calculated automatically. Values vary with brands, substitutions and portion sizes.