Broccoli Pesto
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
5 mins
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Total Time
15 mins
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Servings
4 servings
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Calories
188 kcal
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Course
Condiments
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Cuisine
American
Broccoli Pesto
Description
Broccoli Pesto combines blanched broccoli florets with fresh basil leaves, toasted pine nuts, garlic cloves, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Blanching the broccoli briefly retains its bright color and tender texture, while toasting pine nuts enhances their nutty aroma. The ingredients are blended to a coarse paste, providing a sauce that is rich and slightly chunky rather than overly smooth.
The combination yields a pesto with fresh herbal notes from basil balanced by the mild bitterness and earthiness of broccoli. Garlic adds pungency, and olive oil emulsifies the sauce into a silky texture. The seasoning is simple but effective to highlight the main ingredients.
This pesto works well tossed with pasta, spread on bread, or as a dip for vegetables. It offers an alternative to traditional basil pesto, incorporating extra vegetables in a flavorful way. Substitutions like walnuts or seed-based nuts can be used for variations depending on dietary needs or availability. Using frozen broccoli is an option after thawing to room temperature without blanching.
The recipe provides a flexible base that can be adapted with other greens such as parsley, arugula, or kale for different flavor profiles.
Ingredients
- 1 cup broccoli blanched, florets
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 1 cup basil see notes for substitutions, fresh
- 2 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Meanwhile, prepare a mixing bowl with some ice cubes. Add a cup of broccoli florets into the water and blanch them for 30 seconds. Then transfer immediately to the mixing bowl with ice cubes (or run under ice cold water) to stop cooking. Note: If you're using a full head of broccoli, triple the other ingredients (medium head of broccoli yields ~3 cups of broccoli florets!)
- Add ¼ cup of pine nuts to a skillet and toast them over medium flame for about 1 to 2 minutes until it smells nutty (it'll brown slightly but make sure to not burn it!)
- Add a cup of blanched broccoli florets, a cup of fresh basil leaves, ½ cup of toasted pine nuts, and 2 to 3 garlic cloves to a food processor and pulse until it forms a coarse mixture. Check notes for nut-free options!
- Add ¼ cup of olive oil slowly through the chute of the food processor to emulsify the pesto. If your food processor doesn't have a chute, add the olive oil 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches desired consistency. Stir in a teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper and your pesto is ready! You can also garnish with some fresh lemon juice (optional!)
Notes
- Toasting pine nuts briefly enhances their nutty flavor but avoid burning them for best taste.
- If using frozen broccoli, thaw to room temperature before blending; no need to blanch.
- You can substitute pine nuts with walnuts, cashews, or almonds; for a nut-free version, use sunflower or pumpkin seeds.
- Roasting broccoli before blending adds umami flavor and is an alternative preparation method to blanching.
- Try substituting basil with other mild greens like parsley or arugula for recipe variations.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 188 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 188kcal | 9% |
| Carbohydrates | 3g | 1% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 19g | 29% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Sodium | 590mg | 25% |
| Potassium | 150mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 462IU | 9% |
| Vitamin C | 22mg | 24% |
| Calcium | 27mg | 3% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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