Broccoli Pesto Pasta
Little pasta shapes tossed in a creamy, nut-free pesto made from soft broccoli, parmesan and olive oil. Ready in 15 minutes, with no chopping of greens needed — little hands will love the bright green swirls.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Cook pasta and broccoli together
Bring a large pot of the water to a rolling boil (no salt needed). Add the pasta and broccoli florets at the same time and cook for 8-10 minutes.
- 250 g pasta
- 300 g broccoli florets
- 2.5 L water
✅ Done when: pasta is tender and broccoli is very soft and falling apart
Save some cooking water
Before draining, scoop out a mugful of the starchy cooking water and set it aside; it is the secret to a silky sauce without cream. Then drain the pasta and broccoli in a colander.
- 250 ml (1 mug), reserved cooking water
- 250 g, cooked pasta
- 300 g, cooked broccoli
✅ Done when: cooking water looks cloudy and starchy, pasta and broccoli are well drained
Mellow the garlic
In a small pan over low heat, warm the olive oil with the garlic clove for about 1 minute, just to soften its sharp bite.
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small clove garlic
✅ Done when: oil is warm and fragrant, garlic turns pale gold
Blend into a creamy pesto
In a blender or with a stick blender, combine the cooked broccoli, parmesan, warm garlic oil, lemon juice and a splash of the reserved cooking water. Blend until smooth; no added salt is needed since the parmesan is salty enough.
- 300 g, cooked broccoli
- 40 g parmesan
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- all warm garlic oil, from step 3
- 2-3 tbsp reserved cooking water, from step 2
✅ Done when: mixture is smooth, creamy and bright green
Toss the pasta
Return the drained pasta to the pot, pour over the broccoli pesto and toss gently. Add more reserved cooking water, a spoonful at a time, until the pasta looks glossy.
- 250 g, cooked pasta
- all broccoli pesto, from step 4
- a few tbsp, as needed reserved cooking water, from step 2
✅ Done when: every piece is coated in a light, glossy sauce
Make it fun to eat
Spoon the pasta onto a plate and shape it into a little nest or a smiley face, using quartered cherry tomatoes as eyes or buttons.
- all pesto pasta, from step 5
- a few, quartered cherry tomatoes
Keep or pack it
Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days, or freeze in small portions for up to 1 month.
- all pesto pasta, from step 6
✅ Done when: reheated leftovers are steaming hot throughout (165°F/74°C)
Cook pasta and broccoli together
Bring a large pot of the water to a rolling boil (no salt needed). Add the pasta and broccoli florets at the same time and cook for 8-10 minutes.
- 250 g pasta
- 300 g broccoli florets
- 2.5 L water
✅ Done when: pasta is tender and broccoli is very soft and falling apart
Save some cooking water
Before draining, scoop out a mugful of the starchy cooking water and set it aside; it is the secret to a silky sauce without cream. Then drain the pasta and broccoli in a colander.
- 250 ml (1 mug), reserved cooking water
- 250 g, cooked pasta
- 300 g, cooked broccoli
✅ Done when: cooking water looks cloudy and starchy, pasta and broccoli are well drained
Mellow the garlic
In a small pan over low heat, warm the olive oil with the garlic clove for about 1 minute, just to soften its sharp bite.
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small clove garlic
✅ Done when: oil is warm and fragrant, garlic turns pale gold
Blend into a creamy pesto
In a blender or with a stick blender, combine the cooked broccoli, parmesan, warm garlic oil, lemon juice and a splash of the reserved cooking water. Blend until smooth; no added salt is needed since the parmesan is salty enough.
- 300 g, cooked broccoli
- 40 g parmesan
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- all warm garlic oil, from step 3
- 2-3 tbsp reserved cooking water, from step 2
✅ Done when: mixture is smooth, creamy and bright green
Toss the pasta
Return the drained pasta to the pot, pour over the broccoli pesto and toss gently. Add more reserved cooking water, a spoonful at a time, until the pasta looks glossy.
- 250 g, cooked pasta
- all broccoli pesto, from step 4
- a few tbsp, as needed reserved cooking water, from step 2
✅ Done when: every piece is coated in a light, glossy sauce
Make it fun to eat
Spoon the pasta onto a plate and shape it into a little nest or a smiley face, using quartered cherry tomatoes as eyes or buttons.
- all pesto pasta, from step 5
- a few, quartered cherry tomatoes
Keep or pack it
Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days, or freeze in small portions for up to 1 month.
- all pesto pasta, from step 6
✅ Done when: reheated leftovers are steaming hot throughout (165°F/74°C)
The Story Behind the Dish
In southern Italian kitchens, pasta and vegetables are often cooked in the same pot of water to save time and fuel, letting the vegetable soften right into a sauce. Broccoli treated this way, mashed with olive oil and cheese, became a simple family favourite long before food processors made it even easier.
Unlike the famous basil pesto of Liguria, this green sauce uses no nuts at all, relying on the broccoli itself for body and the parmesan for richness — making it naturally friendly for little eaters.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It turns an everyday vegetable into a creamy, moreish sauce in minutes, with no basil, pine nuts or special equipment required — just a pot and a blender.
💡 Fun Fact
Cooking the pasta and vegetable together in one pot is a trick many Italian grandmothers use; the vegetable's starch and flavour end up right in the pasta, so nothing is wasted.
Southern Italy (Puglia and Sicily)
41.12°N, 16.87°E
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