This broccoli pesto pasta is an easy, kid-friendly, weeknight meal that comes together in less than 30 minutes! In addition to basil, this broccoli pesto is made with sautéed broccoli stems and fresh spinach for a light, healthy, summery meal!
You might also like this broccoli mac and cheese or this pesto orzo!
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Ingredient Notes
You just need a few ingredients to make this creamy broccoli pesto pasta!
Pasta - You can use any noodles you prefer for this broccoli pesto pasta! My favorite is rigatoni because it holds a lot of sauce, but you can also use penne, shells, whatever short pasta you prefer!
Broccoli - You need fresh broccoli so that you can use the broccoli stems to make the pesto! However, in a pinch frozen steamed broccoli also works!
Spinach - Fresh spinach helps make up the bulk of the broccoli pesto sauce, but you could also substitute fresh arugula for a more peppery flavor.
Parmesan Cheese - You can substitute your favorite hard Italian cheese. I always use Pecorino Romano instead if I have it on hand.
Pine Nuts - Toasted pine nuts have a soft, almost buttery flavor with a little bit of crunch that makes them a perfect addition to this broccoli pesto pasta! They add a creaminess to the pesto sauce, but I also love garnishing the pasta with extra pine nuts.
Olive Oil - Make sure you use high quality, cold pressed extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor!
Lemon Juice - You need just a little bit of fresh lemon zest and juice to add some brightness to the broccoli stem pasta sauce!
The complete list of ingredients and amounts is located in the recipe card below.
Additions & Substitutions
This broccoli pesto pasta is delicious as is, but you can add in extra protein or veggies if desired!
- Top with diced grilled chicken
- Stir in crumbled cooked bacon
- Swap out half the broccoli for cauliflower
- Substitute arugula for the spinach
How to Make Broccoli Pesto Pasta
Cook the pasta according to package directions. Make sure you heavily salt the water and cook the pasta for about 1-2 minutes less than the listed time for perfect al dente pasta! Before draining, scoop out about ½ cup of the starchy pasta water and set aside. Then drain the pasta (but do NOT rinse it).
While the pasta is cooking, start on the sauce.
Cut the broccoli florets into bite sized pieces and set aside. Then roughly chop about 1 cup of the remaining broccoli stems.
While the pasta is cooking, you can steam the broccoli over the boiling pasta for 2-3 minutes. Or you can add the broccoli florets to the boiling water with the pasta for the last 2-3 minutes of cooking time.
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in the diced shallots, diced broccoli stems, and garlic and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the broccoli stems are tender.
Add the sautéed broccoli stems to a blender or food processor along with the shredded parmesan, fresh spinach, fresh basil, pine nuts, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
Then blend until smooth. If the broccoli pesto is too thick, slowly add in about ¼ cup of reserved pasta water. If desired, you can also blend the cooked broccoli florets into the sauce, you'll just need a little extra pasta water to loosen the sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Toss the cooked pasta and steamed broccoli with the broccoli pesto sauce. Garnish with more shredded parmesan and toasted pine nuts and enjoy!
Recipe FAQ's
This pasta is best eaten the same day but will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The pasta will soak up the sauce in the fridge, so it's best to reheat on the stove with a little extra water to add more moisture.
Typically it depends on the course. For a light lunch or side dish, typically 2 ounces (55g) per person. For a main course more like 3.5 ounces (100 grams). This broccoli pesto recipe is written for 16 ounces of pasta (1 package) which is 4 large servings or 8 small servings.
Tips for Success!
For best results I always recommend using weight measurements (especially when baking) because it's the most accurate. Kitchen scales are super affordable and also reduce the number of dishes you have to do! However, all my recipes also include US customary measurements for convince. Use this chart to convert measurements for common ingredients!
Substitutions: In all my recipes, I've included substitutions that I know will work, but I cannot guarantee results if you substitute ingredients that I have not recommended. [For example, granulated sugar and honey are indeed both sweeteners but they have very different properties so they can not always be swapped 1:1. Using honey in a cookie recipe that calls for granulated sugar will yield a giant mess.] In the recipe card you'll find links to the specific ingredients/brands that I use.
A note on salt: I almost exclusively use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt because it's the best all-purpose salt for cooking and baking. If you're not using kosher salt, consult this handy guide for a conversion chart! When in doubt, if you're using table salt just reduce the amount by half for baked goods. When cooking, I prefer to under-salt because you can always add more! If you've over-salted, adding a little bit of acid (like lemon juice) can help.
More Pasta Recipes You Might Like!
- Creamy Summer Pasta with Fresh Corn, Zucchini, & Burrata
- White Cheddar Broccoli Mac & Cheese
- Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad
- Pesto Orzo
If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating at the bottom of the page! This provides helpful feedback to both me and other readers. And if you want more delicious, scratch-made recipes you can subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!
Recipe Card
Broccoli Pesto Pasta
Special Equipment
- blender (or food processor)
Ingredients
Broccoli Pesto
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium shallot, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 cup broccoli stems, roughly chopped
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 cup fresh spinach, packed
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest, optional
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup pasta water, more as needed
Pasta
- 16 ounces short pasta
- 3 cups broccoli florets, steamed
Garnish
- parmesan cheese
- toasted pine nuts
- fresh basil
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Make sure you heavily salt the water and cook the pasta for about 1-2 minutes less than the listed time for perfect al dente pasta! Before draining, scoop out about ½ cup of the starchy pasta water and set aside. Then drain the pasta (but do NOT rinse it).
- While the pasta is cooking, start on the sauce.
- Cut the broccoli florets into bite sized pieces and set aside. Then roughly chop about 1 cup of the remaining broccoli stems.
- While the pasta is cooking, you can steam the broccoli over the boiling pasta for 2-3 minutes. Or you can add the broccoli florets to the boiling water with the pasta for the last 2-3 minutes of cooking time.
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in the diced shallots, diced broccoli stems, and garlic and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the broccoli stems are tender.
- Add the sautéed broccoli stems to a blender or food processor along with the shredded parmesan, fresh spinach, fresh basil, pine nuts, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper.
- Then blend until smooth. If the broccoli pesto is too thick, slowly add in about ¼ cup of reserved pasta water. If desired, you can also blend the cooked broccoli florets into the sauce, you'll just need a little extra pasta water to loosen the sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Toss the cooked pasta and steamed broccoli with the broccoli pesto sauce. Garnish with more shredded parmesan and toasted pine nuts and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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