This Creamy Pesto Will Get Kids To Eat More Broccoli
Image Credit: italian_food_for_little_ones/Instagram

This broccoli pesto recipe offers up a delicious solution—broccoli florets that are whizzed right into the pesto sauce itself, adding an even more vibrant punch of emerald green to the sauce as well as a serious nutritional boost. The result is a healthy, vibrant and delicious pasta dish that will leave you feeling satisfied but not weighed down.

The broccoli pesto also makes for a great green food option for those following the Paleo diet or who have autoimmune conditions like celiac disease or Crohn's disease that can be aided by eating more vegetables and fewer grains. This broccoli pesto recipe has all of the heart-healthy fats from nuts and olive oil as well as vitamin K from the broccoli florets themselves. It's also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help to reduce inflammation in the body and lower your risk for heart disease, cancer and other conditions.

This broccoli pesto recipe is easy enough to make on a weeknight but special enough that it could be served at a dinner party or family gathering as well. The bright green colour of the sauce makes for an appealing contrast against dark brown pasta noodles or white rice, while the flavour profile recalls a herbed olive oil with fresh herbs. The broccoli florets and almonds give the sauce a pleasing texture that isn't too smooth or oily, making it easy to swirl onto your pasta of choice without worrying about clumping or messiness.

Ingredients

  • 250g broccoli
  • 30g pine nuts
  • 50g almonds (peeled)
  • 10 basil leaves
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 60 ml olive oil
  • 200g spaghetti
  • 50g parmesan cheese
  • 150ml heavy cream
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method

  • Cook the broccoli in salted water, until soft. It should last 10-15 min. Then, drain the broccoli.
  • Soak the almonds in hot water to help remove their skin.
  • Peel the garlic clove. Throw the broccoli, garlic clove, pine nuts, almonds and basil leaves into the blender and mix.
  • Add the olive oil, salt and pepper and mix until you get a homogeneous mixture.
  • Cook pasta in salted water.
  • Serve the pesto warm or cold with the pasta!