If there is one thing I love to make it’s a seasonal pesto and this Broccoli Pesto with Penne Pasta highlights how versatile pesto really can be. We’ve been getting several big bunches of broccoli in our CSA box as of late. This homemade peto creates a versatile sauce that is great for your favorite pasta shape.
Rich in vitamin C, K, iron and potassium, this cruciferous veggie is fiber rich making this pesto especially nutrient dense, creamy and delicious. It is a pasta dinner that comes together quickly in 20 minutes for those nights when we really need dinner done fast!
Why This Broccoli Pesto Will Be Your New Favorite
If this is your first time making homemade pesto, this will be the easiest pesto to make when you want to make one without fresh basil leaves. I love how it can be made with fresh ingredients especially when broccoli is in abundance in our weekly farm CSA box. Pesto is also not just for pasta. This Broccoli Pesto sauce is great to make as a salad dressing or use in baked chicken or vegetable lasagna recipes too. Either way, you can’t go wrong with a home cook version of a delicious fresh pesto.
Ingredients for This Broccoli Pesto with Penne Pasta
This Broccoli Pesto with Penne Pasta will be ready in about 20 minutes and will yield enough for about 6 to 8 servings. Scroll down below for a few tips on what to do with leftover Broccoli Pesto as well. Here’s what we’ll need to make this fresh pesto:
- Fresh Broccoli: 4 cups broccoli florets, stems and all
- 1/4 cup grated Pecorino
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 cup breadcrumbs (Italian seasoned or Panko both work well here)
- 1/2 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 to 2 cups pasta water**
- 1 lb package of penne pasta
** Note: you can also use the broccoli broth water in lieu of pasta water if you’re making the pesto alone and not immediately using with pasta.
How to Make the Broccoli Pesto with Penne Pasta
In a large saucepan, bring water to boil and add a few generous pinches of kosher salt. Bring a second large pot of water to boil for your pasta. When the second pot of water is boiling add in your pasta to cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes depending on your package.
Add in your broccoli florets to the large sauce pan and boil about 5-6 minutes until florets are gently fork tender but still vibrant green. Drain broccoli and place florets in blender. Add in your garlic cloves, bread crumbs, cheese, kosher salt, red pepper flakes, and olive oil. Begin blending. If sauce is too thick, start with adding one cup of pasta water to blender. You may add up to about 2 cups of pasta water to thin out the sauce so it’s blends until creamy and smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Your pesto should be creamy and thick. It will thin out more when you add the pasta.
The broccoli pesto will make about 3 cups. Take one cup of pesto and spoon into a large bowl. Add in your pasta and toss together until the pesto is combined with the pasta. Ladle pasta into bowls and top with more pecorino-Parmesan and red pepper flakes. Enjoy immediately.
Store unused pesto in a sealed container for 3-5 days. Use it in stuffed peppers or chicken or as a spread for toast or maybe even pizza.
More Easy Weeknight Pasta Ideas
When it comes to making dinner fast I love a good pasta recipe I can keep in my back pocket. Here are a few we have in frequent rotation at home:
- 30-Minute Pasta with Heirloom Tomato Sauce
- Easy Weeknight Pasta with Fava Beans and Mint
- Sausage and Ricotta Pasta Bake
- Seasonal Pestos we love also include my Zucchini Basil Pesto in Summer and my Spinach and Arugula Pesto in Winter.
Broccoli Pesto with Penne Pasta
Ingredients
- 4 cups broccoli florets stems and all
- 1/4 cup grated Pecorino
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 1 cup breadcrumbs Italian seasoned or Panko both work well here
- 1/2 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 to 2 cups reserved pasta water
- 1 lb package of penne pasta
Instructions
- In a large sauce pan, bring water to boil and add a few generous pinches of kosher salt. Bring a second large pot of water to boil for your pasta. When the second pot of water is boiling add in your pasta to cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes depending on your package.
- Add in your broccoli florets to the large sauce pan and boil about 5-6 minutes until florets are gently fork tender but still vibrant green. Drain broccoli and place florets in blender. Add in your garlic cloves, bread crumbs, cheese, kosher salt, red pepper flakes, and olive oil. Begin blending. If sauce is too thick, start with adding one cup of pasta water to blender. You may add up to about 2 cups of pasta water to thin out the sauce so it’s blends until creamy and smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Your pesto should be creamy and thick. It will thin out more when you add the pasta.
- The broccoli pesto will make about 3 cups. Take one cup of pesto and spoon into a large bowl. Add in your pasta and toss together until the pesto is combined with the pasta. Ladle pasta into bowls and top with more pecorino-Parmesan and red pepper flakes. Enjoy immediately.
- Store unused pesto in a sealed container for 3-5 days. Use it in stuffed peppers or chicken or as a spread for toast or maybe even pizza.