Broccoli, as you all know, is loaded with essential nutrients and vitamins and the benefit of including them in your diet are endless. Sometime back, I shared an easy and healthy broccoli and capsicum curry which can had with phulkas or rice and dal. Today I'm sharing a pasta recipe with broccoli and I'm sure even kids would love this pasta dish.
Broccoli adds a healthy twist to the good old basil pesto. Broccoli is low in cholesterol, high in fiber and vitamins and addition of broccoli to pesto makes it more nutritious. I saw this recipe in a local magazine and adapted to suit our taste buds. Keep the pesto little bit chunky as it adds some texture to the pasta. Try out this simple and healthy pasta at home and let me know how you liked it.
BROCCOLI BASIL PESTO PASTA RECIPE
{ Pasta with broccoli, basil and pine nuts pesto }Serves 2-3
Ingredients:
2 cups pasta
1 ½ cup broccoli florets
½ cup basil + few extra
3 tbsp pine nuts
½ clove garlic
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp lemon rind
3 tbsp olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
1 tsp dried red chilly flakes
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Method:
1. Bring a pot of water to boil. Once it starts boiling, turn off the heat and add the broccoli. Cover and keep for 3-4 minutes or until just tender. Drain the water completely.
2. Cook the pasta according to the instructions given in the packet. Wash under cold water and drain water completely.
3. Place broccoli, basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmesan cheese, lemon rind, olive oil, lemon juice in a food processor. Blitz until everything is just combined.
4. Add salt, pepper, red chilly flakes to the pesto and mix. Add the pesto sauce, basil leaves to the cooked pasta and toss well.
Notes and Tips
- You can use walnuts or almonds instead of pine nuts.
- Do not blend the pesto to a smooth consistency. Just process until everything is combined.
- You can add some grated Parmesan cheese while serving.
