I’ve been working on this recipe for a wee bit.
I really wanted it to work because I think it’s such a unique way to use broccoli, which seems to be a fan fave among kids and grownups.
Until now I haven’t been happy with its punchiness (which is definitely a word – go fly a kite red squiggly underline).
Well y’all know we just luurve roasting for flavour on this blog.
Turns out it was the ticket to flavour country for this recipe.
Granted, fresh parmesan always helps.
I didn’t use a ton of olive oil for this recipe, so using some of the pasta water will give you the moisture you need to blend it properly.
Using starchy pasta water is a great way to make pasta sauces go further without adding oil or cream. While cooking, pasta releases some of it’s starch into the water. When reserved and tossed with the final product it will help whatever sauce you have coat your pasta evenly and it will thicken slightly as it cools (whereas plain water would just thin it out).
Presto. Pesto.
Enjoy,
Roasted Broccoli Pesto Pasta
Serves | 4-6 |
Prep time | 10 minutes |
Cook time | 15 minutes |
Total time | 25 minutes |
Ingredients
- 1 bunch broccoli (cut into bite-sized florets)
- ¼ cup plus 1 Tbspextra virgin olive oil
- 300g whole grain pasta
- ½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ cup walnut pieces
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 Small clove fresh garlic (chopped)
- 1 can cannellini/ white kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
- lots of salt and fresh ground pepper for seasoning
Note
Another great addition to this pesto is fresh parsley. ¼ cup packed parsley leaves add a punch of freshness and beautiful bright colour.
Directions
1. | Preheat oven to 400F. Toss broccoli florets with 1 Tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for about 12 minutes, until tender and browned, flipping halfway through cooking time. |
2. | Meanwhile, cook pasta per package directions in salted water (1 Tbsp salt per 4L of water). Drain pasta and reserve 1.5 cups of the pasta water. |
3. | In a food processor or using an immersion blender, combine ⅔ of the roasted broccoli, parmesan cheese, walnuts, lemon juice, garlic and remaining olive oil. You may need to use some of the pasta water to thin it out a little. |
4. | In a large pot over low heat combine pasta, pesto and beans. Stir to coat everything evenly, using the pasta water to further thin the pesto into a sauce. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add remaining broccoli, toss gently and serve. |
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