Broccoli Pesto is vibrant, flavorful, and made with just a handful of ingredients in under ten minutes. You’ll want to throw this sauce on just about everything!
Broccoli Pesto takes all the flavors of the traditional pesto and adds broccoli (or broccolini). The first time I had Broccoli Pesto was at the Rose Tavern restaurant located inside The Lake House on Canandaigua in New York (highly recommend this hotel by the way). I was blown away by how well the broccoli added additional complexity to one of my very favorite Italian sauces. Broccoli Pesto is a great way to add more vegetables to your diet and to trick picky eaters into enjoying it. 😉 My favorite way to serve this sauce is to toss with pasta (hot or cold pasta salad). However, Broccoli Pesto is delicious on sandwiches, roasted vegetables, salads, omelets, and more! It captures the brightness of summer in a creamy sauce yet can obviously be enjoyed year-round.
Ingredients
Broccoli or Broccolini
The star of the show for this Broccoli Pesto is obviously… broccoli! You can also use broccolini which is what is pictured here. I’ve alternated between both. Broccolini tastes a tiny bit sweeter, but you honestly can’t tell the difference between the two in this recipe.
Fresh Basil
The key ingredient in traditional pesto, and which I make sure to include in this Broccoli Pesto, is basil. Earthy, vibrant, and delicious.
Fresh Parmesan
I cannot stress enough how much using fresh Parmesan makes a difference in pesto (and all recipes for that matter). It makes up such a large part of the sauce, you definitely want to use fresh here.
Fresh Garlic
For depth and flavor versatility add several cloves of fresh garlic.
Walnuts
While pine nuts are the traditional pesto nut of choice, I like to use walnuts in this Broccoli Pesto. Pine nuts are delicious too though, so use whatever you have on hand. Almonds are also tasty. If you’re allergic to nuts, you can omit without it changing the entire taste. Broccoli has some nutty flavor that can fill in.
Salt & Pepper
I mostly measure with my heart, but salt and pepper will give your Broccoli Pesto sauce a little boost. You don’t need to add too much salt though as Parmesan is a pretty salty cheese.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Brings all the ingredients together into a delicious, creamy, Broccoli Pesto sauce.
Broccoli Pesto Instructions:
The only actual “cooking” you’ll do with this recipe is to blanch the broccoli. When the broccoli is cooked, it blends into the pesto sauce much better than raw. All you need to do is bring a pot of salted water to boil and drop in the trimmed broccolini or broccoli florets. I boil for 2-3 minutes then drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Wait for them to cool then drain and pat dry.
Next, to make the Broccoli Pesto, add all ingredients except the olive oil to a food processor and pulse until combined. Then pour in olive oil and blend until smooth. You can also use a blender or bullet if you don’t have a food processor. I recommend getting one though! I use mine constantly. Here’s the one I have. It's that easy!
Serve with...
As I mentioned above you can serve this Broccoli Pesto with all kinds of recipes, but I recommend tossing with pasta. It goes great with tagliatelle, tortellini, fettuccine, and orecchiette as a few of my favs. If you’re feeling adventurous, try making my homemade pasta! It would also taste great on Homemade Creamy Basil Pesto Gnocchi which I typically use traditional pesto with or this Grilled Chicken Bagel Sandwich.
FAQs
Can I make Broccoli Pesto vegan?
Yes! Simply substitute nutritional yeast for the Parmesan.
Is Broccoli Pesto healthy, keto, and/or low calorie?
This sauce is packed full of nutrients especially with the addition of the broccoli. It does have a good amount of Parmesan and olive oil though, so if you enjoy in moderation, it is definitely healthy. This recipe would be considered a keto or low carb sauce.
Do I heat up pesto for serving?
I wouldn’t recommend heating in the microwave as it can oxidize the basil, turning it brown. Instead mix a little pasta water into it. It’s delicious served cold or room temperature too though.
How long does pesto last?
Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, this pesto will last about four days.
What’s the difference between store-bought pesto and homemade?
Homemade pesto tastes a million times better in my opinion. This is due to the higher quality cheese and olive oil you can use at home, that typically isn’t used in the pre-made varieties. With it taking so little time to prepare, I always go the homemade route.
Can you freeze pesto?
You can. I think it loses some of its flavor though and prefer to enjoy it fresh.
If you liked this recipe, you might also enjoy…
Pesto Tortellini with Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Pesto Pizza with Fresh Tomatoes
Broccoli Pesto
Equipment
- food processor or blender
Ingredients
- ½ lb broccolini or broccoli crowns chopped (mostly heads, some upper stem)
- 1 cup fresh basil
- ⅔ cup fresh Parmesan grated
- 4-5 cloves garlic chopped
- ¼ cup walnut pieces
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- ⅔ cup olive oil extra virgin
Instructions
- Bring a large salted pot of water to boil over high heat.
- Boil broccoli for about 2-3 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towel.
- Add broccoli, basil, Parmesan, garlic, walnuts, salt and pepper to food processor.
- Secure lid and mix until combined.
- Add olive oil and mix until smooth.
- Serve with pasta or other suggestions listed in post
Tammy
I never thought to add broccoli to pesto before. YUM