Best Broccoli Pesto Recipes

BROCCOLI PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Tip the pasta into a large pan of boiling salted water and cook according to pack instructions. Meanwhile, bring a smaller pan of salted water to the boil, add the broccoli and boil for 4 minutes.
• Drain the broccoli and return it to the pan. Lightly mash the broccoli with a potato masher or fork. Finely grate the garlic and zest the lemon, then mix into the broccoli with the chilli flakes and pine nuts. Cut the lemon in half and keep for later.
• Drain the pasta and return it to the pan. Stir in the broccoli pesto and squeeze over the juice of 1⁄2 lemon. Pour in the olive oil and generously season with salt and pepper. Spoon in the grated Parmesan, toss the pasta well and serve.

CHEESY CHICKEN, BROCCOLI AND PESTO PASTA BAKE

Steps:

• Boil a large pan of water with a sprinkle of salt, when bubbling, add pasta to water and leave for 10 - 12 minutes. Add broccoli and leave for further 5 minutes, once cooked, drain out and add pasta and broccoli back to pan.
• Add a tbsp of oil to a large frying pan and add to high heat. Add chicken breast to pan and fry until begins to brown, remove from the pan. Add bacon into pan and fry for around 3 - 5 minutes, then add mushroom, garlic and spring onions and leave for another 2 - 3 minutes.
• Once bacon has cooked, add chicken back to the pan and stir together gently for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir into pasta.
• In a medium sized saucepan, melt the soft cheese and butter together on a low heat, stirring together constantly. Once melted together and the sauce is visibly thinner, stir in the milk and add the pesto and stir for roughly 5 minutes. When happy with the sauce, stir into the pasta pan and mix together well so all contents are coated.
• Now, add all the pasta mix to a deep oven dish and spread out around dish, then sprinkle over Parmesan cheese and put into the oven, for about 30-35 minutes on 200c (Fan Oven) or until Cheese is brown and golden.

SHEET PAN CHICKEN WITH MOZZARELLA, PESTO, AND BROCCOLI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Lightly grease a large rimmed baking sheet.
• Place chicken on the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with garlic salt and black pepper. Spread pesto over chicken and top with tomatoes and cheese.
• Toss broccoli and oil together in a bowl. Place broccoli around chicken on the baking sheet. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until broccoli is tender and chicken is no longer pink in the center, 15 to 20 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

BROCCOLI-WALNUT PESTO WITH PASTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the nuts out on a small baking pan and toast lightly, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Pulse together 1/4 cup of the walnuts and the garlic in a food processor; add the broccoli, basil, broth, nutmeg, red pepper flakes if using, 3/4 teaspoon salt and the lemon juice, and pulse until just combined. Slowly drizzle in the oil through the feed tube with the processor running and puree until a slightly chunky sauce forms, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add 2 tablespoons of the cheese and pulse until incorporated.
• Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
• Toss the pasta with the pesto in the dry pot or a mixing bowl, along with some of the reserved cooking liquid. Add the remaining cooking liquid if needed and additional salt to taste.
• Transfer the pasta to individual bowls and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon cheese. Chop the remaining walnuts and scatter on top. Garnish with basil leaves and serve.

FARFALLE WITH BROCCOLI PESTO

Steps:

• Heat a skillet over medium heat. Toast hazelnuts, shaking skillet often, until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook broccoli in boiling water until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a colander with a slotted spoon. Bring water back to a boil and add farfalle; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, roughly chop cooled hazelnuts. Place hazelnuts, broccoli, parsley, mint, 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a food processor. Puree until smooth. Season pesto with salt and pepper.
• Drain farfalle, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water. Toss farfalle with pesto, reserved cooking water, and capers until well coated.

ORECCHIETTE WITH BROCCOLI RABE PESTO

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Set up a bowl of well-salted ice water. Cook the broccoli rabe in the boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes and then immediately plunge in the salted ice water. This will prevent the broccoli rabe from being overcooked and will set the lovely green color.
• Drain the broccoli rabe and squeeze out any excess water; coarsely chop. Place the broccoli rabe in the bowl of a food processor and puree until it is a coarse paste. Add the pistachios and parmigiano and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning; you probably will need more salt. Add the ricotta and pulse until combined. Taste for seasoning once again-it should be full-flavored, slightly bitter and creamy at the same time. Set aside.
• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. (If you are making the pasta right after the pesto, just use the broccoli rabe blanching water.) Cook the pasta 1 minute less than the cooking time on the package.
• While the pasta is cooking, place the pesto in a large skillet and add about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water; place over medium-high heat. When the pasta is ready, drain and add to the skillet with the pesto. Stir vigorously to combine and cook until the sauce is creamy and heated through, 1 to 2 minutes; add salt to taste. Remove from the heat, add 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil, if desired, and stir vigorously. Garnish with more parmigiano. Voila!

BROCCOLI-WALNUT PESTO PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1/4 cup salt, then add the broccoli. Cook, stirring occasionally, until bright green and just tender, about 5 minutes. Use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer to a food processor; keep the water boiling.
• Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook according to the package's directions for al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water.
• Meanwhile, add the garlic to the broccoli and pulse, scraping the bowl occasionally, until smooth. Add the mint, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Pulse until smooth, then add the oil with the machine running.
• Drain the pasta well and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the pesto. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper and toss until the pasta is evenly coated. If the mixture seems thick, fold in the reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time. The mixture will thicken as it cools, so you want it to be saucy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Divide among serving dishes and top with lemon zest, then grate cheese over. Sprinkle with the walnuts, grind more black pepper on top, then drizzle with olive oil. Serve hot, warm or room temperature.

PESTO PASTA WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES AND BROCCOLI

Steps:

• PASTA: Put broccoli in a microwave safe bowl with two tablespoons of water, cover loosely with plastic wrap and microwave until tender, about 4 minutes. Stir once half way through cooking time. Remove, drain and set aside.
• Boil pasta in plenty of salted water until al dente. Reserve one cup cooking water, drain pasta and set aside. Return pasta to cooking pot and stir in sun-dried tomatoes, pesto sauce and broccoli. Add warm pasta cooking water and stir just until sauce is evenly distributed (you may not use all the water). Serve immediately.
• PESTO: Pulse garlic, pine nuts and manchego cheese until coarsely chopped, about the size of peas. Add basil leaves and pulse briefly to combine. With food processor running, add oil gradually in a thin stream to make a smooth paste. Add salt to taste.

BOWTIES WITH BROCCOLI PESTO

Steps:

• Cook broccoli as directed on bag until crisp-tender; drain. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the broccoli.
• Place remaining 1 1/2 cups broccoli and all remaining pesto ingredients in food processor. Cover; process until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides with rubber spatula.
• In 4-quart saucepan, cook pasta as directed on package, adding reserved 1 1/2 cups broccoli and bell pepper during last 1 minute of cooking time. Drain; place in serving bowl. Add tomato and pesto; toss to coat. Sprinkle with additional cheese.

GRILLED CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI PESTO PANINI

Steps:

• For the pesto: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast, tossing once, until fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer the cooked broccoli to an ice bath and let cool, about 3 minutes. Remove from the ice bath and drain well. Transfer the broccoli to a food processor. Add the garlic, walnuts, honey, lemon zest, lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt and process until finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually pour in the olive oil. Transfer the pesto to a small bowl and stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Cover and set aside.
• For the sandwich: Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat.
• Grill the bread until toasted and golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Season the chicken cutlets with the pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon salt and drizzle with the olive oil. Place the cutlets on the grill pan and cook until golden brown and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Squeeze the lemon juice over the cooked chicken while it is still on the grill pan. Remove the chicken to a plate.
• To assemble the sandwiches, spread about 1 tablespoon of the pesto on each slice of bread. Place 2 pieces of tomato on 4 of the slices. Top the tomatoes with the chicken cutlets and the remaining slices of bread. Cut each sandwich in half to serve.
• Cook's Note: The pesto makes more than enough for the sandwiches. It can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

ORECCHIETTE WITH SWEET SAUSAGE AND BROCCOLI RABE PESTO

Steps:

• Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in a pot and add 1 tablespoon salt. Add broccoli rabe and cook about 5 minutes, until tender. Drain and place in a large bowl of ice water. Drain and squeeze dry. Turn on a food processor and drop garlic in through the feed tube. Stop machine, scrape down sides and add broccoli rabe. Pulse until finely chopped. Stop machine. Add 6 tablespoons oil. Pulse until pesto comes together but is not creamy or thoroughly emulsified. Transfer to a bowl and fold in ¼ cup cheese.
• Heat remaining 4 tablespoons oil in a large sauté pan on low. Add fennel and onion, and cook until soft but not brown. Add sausage and cook, mashing it to a fine crumble, until it is no longer pink. Add chicken stock and cook until the stock has mostly evaporated and just glazes the sausage. Transfer sausage mixture to a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Return sausage to the pan. Fold in broccoli rabe pesto. Set aside.
• Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add orecchiette and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Reheat sausage mixture and add about ½ cup of the pasta water. Drain pasta and add to pan with the sausage mixture. Toss ingredients together until pasta is evenly coated. Fold in remaining ½ cup cheese, check seasoning and serve.

PESTO ZUCCHINI NOODLES WITH TOMATOES AND BROCCOLI

Steps:

• Heat oil in a medium saute pan or skillet over medium heat. Add broccoli, cherry tomatoes, and pesto; cook and stir for 5 to 10 minutes. Add zucchini noodles and continue to cook and stir until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes more.
• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat and let sit for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.

PASTA AND WHITE BEANS WITH BROCCOLI PESTO

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook broccoli until tender and bright green, about 4 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer broccoli to a food processor. Return water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 2 cups pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot.
• To food processor, add oil, Parmesan, lemon zest and juice, parsley, and garlic. Puree until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down side as needed. Transfer pesto to pot with pasta. Stir to coat, adding enough reserved pasta water to make a creamy sauce. Stir in beans and heat over medium until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, sprinkle with Parmesan, if desired.

CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI PASTA WITH PESTO

Steps:

• Cook the penne in a large pot of water for 8-10 minutes until tender but firm.
• While pasta cooks, heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and pepper strips and cook for 3-5 minutes.
• Set aside.
• Place the broccoli florets in a colander and drain the pasta over it. Place the pasta and broccoli back into the large pot.
• Add the chicken mixture, pesto and parmesan cheese. Stir to combine.
• To freeze:.
• Cool. Spoon into freezer containers, seal, label and freeze for up to 3 months.
• To serve:.
• Thaw in micro or fridge. Bake in baking dish at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with additional freshly grated parmesan before serving.
• Note: I usually undercook my pasta slightly if I am freezing it. It finishes cooking when the dish is reheated.

SCALLOP AND BROCCOLI LINGUINE WITH PESTO CREAM

Steps:

• In Dutch oven or large saucepan, cook linguine as directed on package, adding broccoli during last 3 to 5 minutes of cooking time. Cook until linguine and broccoli are tender. Drain; return to Dutch oven. Cover to keep warm.
• Meanwhile, in large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add scallops and mushrooms; cook 3 minutes.
• In small bowl, combine half-and-half and flour; blend well. Add flour mixture to scallop mixture; cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is bubbly and thickened and scallops are opaque. Add scallop mixture and pesto to cooked linguine and broccoli; toss gently to coat.

BROCCOLI PESTO

Steps:

• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add broccoli, cover, and steam until tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Blend steamed broccoli, basil, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts, garlic, vegetable broth, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper in a blender until smooth and pourable.

BROCCOLI PESTO & PANCETTA PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a pan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the broccoli and boil for 5 mins. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Put the pasta in the same pan and cook following pack instructions. Meanwhile, tip the broccoli into a food processor with the pine nuts, basil, garlic, parmesan and oil, and blitz until smooth. Season with black pepper and a little salt (the pancetta is very salty).
• Set a frying pan over a medium heat and cook the pancetta for 2 mins. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 mins, or until softened. Toss the pasta with the broccoli pesto, tomatoes and pancetta, and loosen with a splash of pasta water, if needed. Spoon into bowls and serve.

NOODLES WITH PESTO, PARMESAN AND BROCCOLI

Steps:

• Cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain noodles, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.
• Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and dried red pepper and sauté until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add broccoli and 1/4 cup reserved noodle cooking liquid. Cover pot and cook until broccoli is crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Add noodles, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and pesto. Toss until noodles are evenly coated, adding remaining reserved liquid by tablespoonfuls if mixture is dry. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.

BROCCOLI PESTO

Steps:

• Steam the broccoli for 6 minutes, until very tender but still bright. Remove from the heat, rinse and drain on paper towels.
• Turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade and drop in the garlic. When the garlic is minced and adhering to the sides of the bowl, stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the broccoli and the basil to the machine and turn on. When contents are finely chopped, stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Turn on the machine again and drizzle in the olive oil. Purée until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste and the grated cheese, and process until well blended.
• Transfer to a bowl and serve as a dip, spread or sauce with pasta. If serving with pasta, this amount will be plenty for a pound of pasta. Thin out with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water before tossing with the pasta.

SPAGHETTI WITH BROCCOLI AND WALNUT-RICOTTA PESTO

Steps:

• Turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade and drop in the garlic. When it is chopped and adhering to the sides of the bowl, turn off and scrape down the bowl. Add the walnuts and basil and process to a paste. Add the ricotta, 2 tablespoons warm water, and Parmesan and pulse until well blended. Add the olive and walnut oils and process until smooth and homogenous. You can also make this in a mortar and pestle. Taste and add salt as desired. Transfer to a wide pasta bowl.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and boil 5 minutes. Add the broccoli and continue to boil until the pasta is al dente, about 4 more minutes. Before draining the pasta, remove 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Add 1/4 cup of it to the ricotta mixture and stir until well blended. The sauce should have a creamy consistency (add more of the pasta water if necessary). Drain the spaghetti and broccoli and toss at once with the sauce. Serve, passing Parmesan or Pecorino on the side.