This flavorful Broccoli Pesto an Italian classic with a super-food spin! Take any pasta or dip-able snack to the next level with this sauce!
Yes, your eyes are reading that right.
I made you pesto out of broccoli and I am not apologizing for it.
I mean, basil pesto is so 2020 right? We need to move on and get a little creative!
I figured if you could make a spinach pesto recipe, you could probably pesto-i-fy other things and my recipe-testing brain was RIGHT on the money. Plus, broccoli is usually left for boring things like Instant Pot steamed broccoli.
Is Broccoli Good for you?
Broccoli is one of those veggies that often show up in meals in my home. It’s SO versatile, and you can both dress it up and dress it down and it’s going to be a HIT! Another reason to incorporate it into more meals is for its health benefits because there are literally SO SO many. You’re going to want to whip up some of this broccoli and pesto because broccoli is rich in protein and fiber and it’s also loaded with vitamins A, C, E, K, as well as a variety of B vitamins. It can also promote healthy digestion, boost immunity, and help guard against diseases too. It’s a no brainer- broccoli is BOMB and will add so much nutritional value to your meals.
Ingredients Needed
Store bought pesto is absolutely delicious and there’s definitely no denying that, but did you know that homemade pesto is SO stinking easy to make and tastes even BETTER? That’s right, and I’m going to show you today that it also only takes a handful of ingredients to make. Let’s write up a shopping list and get going on this recipe:
- Pine Nuts
- Broccoli, cut into florets
- Basil
- Fresh Lemon Juice
- Lemon Zest
- Fresh Garlic, minced
- Parmesan Cheese
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt
How to make Broccoli Pesto
Toast
Lay your pine nuts evenly onto a large baking sheet and pop them in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit to toast. Bake them until golden brown, then remove from the oven and let them cool a bit. Place the cooled pine nuts in a food processor and blend until broken down.
Process
Add the broccoli to the food processor and blend. Next, add in the lemon juice, basil, lemon zest and garlic and blend once again until smooth. Add in the cheese and blend again. Finally, with the food processor running, slowly stream in the olive oil, and then season to taste with salt
DEVOUR
Spread on all the things and enjoy!
How to remove Bitterness from Pesto
When making recipes like this broccoli pesto recipe, you will want to make sure to counteract the bitterness from the broccoli with other additives. That’s why in this recipe, I added plenty of pinenuts (roasting them for extra flavor), cheese, garlic and spices too! The lemon juice and zest also aid in counteracting bitterness in the pesto.
Serving Suggestions
In my opinion, the BEST way to enjoy pesto of any kind is spread out on a thick slice of your favorite crusty bread! Spread it on your chicken pesto sandwiches, superfood greek yogurt chicken salad sandwiches, or ANY sandwich for that matter to give it that extra flavor and kick it up a notch!
How to store Broccoli Pesto
Pesto is a great make-ahead sauce for meals throughout the week. Once you’ve blended up some homemade pesto, store it in an airtight container or mason jar in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. It will last for about a week this way.
more recipes you might like
I knew we could do better by this overlooked veggie and here we are.
- avocado pesto healthy pasta salad with zucchini noodles
- creamy basil pesto chicken pasta meal prep bowls
- cold summer zucchini noodle pasta salad
Broccoli Pesto
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Pine nuts
- 2 1/2 Cups Broccoli, cut into small florets and tightly packed
- 1 Cup Basil, tightly packed
- 1 Tbsp Fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp Lemon zest
- 1 tsp Fresh garlic, minced
- 1/2 Cup Parmesan cheese, grated and lightly packed (30g)
- 1/2 Cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4-1 tsp Salt, to taste (we like 1 tsp, but we like things salty)
Instructions
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Heat your oven to 400 degrees and spread the pine nuts on a small baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 4-7 minutes.
-
Transfer the warm pine nuts to a food processor and process until broken down.
-
Add the broccoli and process until broken down. Then, add the basil, lemon juice, lemon zest and garlic and process until well mixed.
-
Add in the cheese and process until well mixed.
-
With the food processor running, stream in the olive oil. Season to taste with salt
-
DEVOUR!
Notes
Nutrition
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