Easy Broccoli Pesto (for Pasta and Pizza)

broccoli pesto on spaghetti in blue bowl with pink fork

Easy Broccoli Pesto (for Pasta and Pizza)

This will likely make enough for two meals. You can freeze the leftovers for a future meal. (This recipe was updated to improve the taste and method in April 2019.)

Course Dinner

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 0

Total Time 10

Servings (Makes about 2 cups)

Calories 104kcal

Author Amy Palanjian

Equipment

Ingredients

2 cups broccoli florets (raw)
1 cup parsley leaves (lightly packed or basil)
1 tbsp fresh lemon zest (grated on a microplane)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (optional for more lemon flavor)
½ cup olive oil
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup roasted unsalted sunflower seeds (or toasted almonds or walnuts)
Salt to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Add the broccoli and parsley (if using) to the food processor and grind.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor.
Blend well, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times until the mixture is a thick paste, or for 60-90 seconds. It should be uniform and without large chunks of any one ingredient. If you still see whole seeds, keep going and add up to an additional 1/4 cup olive oil.
Season to taste with salt if needed. (I usually don't add additional salt but see what you think.)
To serve with pasta: Toss with 1 pound of pasta prepared according to the package directions. I start with 1/2 cup and add more as needed to coat the pasta.
To serve as pizza sauce: Spread about 1/2 cup over raw pizza dough and prepare as you would any other pizza.
Store leftover pesto in a container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in a freezer bag in the freezer for up to 6 months. Break off a piece of the frozen pesto and stir into hot pasta and it will thaw and coat the pasta.

Video

Notes

Store the pesto in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days before using. Or freeze in a freezer bag with as much air removed as possible for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge before using.
Dry your broccoli completely.
Scrape down the sides of the food processor a few times to make sure that the ingredients that get stuck on the sides of the bowl have a chance to be well blended.
Run the food processor for 60-90 seconds, stopping a few times to scrape down the sides, or until the seeds are pretty well blended. You don't want there to be any large pieces of the seeds and this can take a little time.
Add up to an additional 1/4 cup olive oil to make the pesto easy to stir and blend.
Toss well into noodles, starting with 1/2 cup per pound. Add more as you like.
Use on pasta, as a pizza sauce, as a spread on sandwiches or grilled cheese, add a spoonful to soup like minestrone for additional flavor, or stir into scrambled eggs.

Nutrition