This almond broccoli pesto recipe sneaks some extra broccoli into your diet and makes for a healthier pesto option! Perfect on pasta with some cherry tomatoes and chicken.
Summer weather is here and I’m not mad. Not one bit!
My garden is finally planted, my backyard oasis is 95% complete, and we’ve been eating dinner outside nearly every night. You guys know I’m all about the easy dinner recipes all year round, but when summer rolls around, it’s even more true!
So today I have another simple, easy and healthy dinner recipe for us that will keep you in the kitchen as little as possible. Since it has been awhile since I made some pesto, I thought it was time to make some more!
And you’re going to love this one because there are stealthy veggies in this almond broccoli pesto, making it even easier to fill half your plate with veggies!
This post is in partnership with Half Your Plate Canada, whose mission is to get us to fill half our plates with fruit and vegetables. Eating more fruits and veggies is better for our health, better for our wallets, and honestly, it’s really not hard to do!
With that in mind, today I’m filling half my plate with veggies and tricking myself into eating more broccoli.
Can I be honest? Broccoli is not at the top of my favorite vegetable list. But broccoli is so good for you! It is packed with vitamin C, is fat free, and has even been shown to have detoxification properties.
Basically, I’m always on the look-out for more delicious ways to enjoy broccoli. And today I’m sharing one with you: almond broccoli pesto pasta!!
Do you know what’s hiding in this pesto? 4 whole cups of broccoli. I’m serious! And don’t throw away your broccoli stems, because they can go in too!
Broccoli is blended together with garlic, parmesan cheese, lemon zest and juice, almonds and basil. And olive oil, of course. All in under 10 minutes.
I have provided instructions in how to use this pesto with pasta, and it couldn’t be simpler: combine the pesto with some reserved cooking liquids and toss with your pasta, some extra veggies and chicken! You will never believe that you are eating broccoli pesto, trust me!
We have also eaten the pesto on grilled potatoes, as a pizza base, and as a dip. The possibilities are endless!
I’d love to hear: what is your favourite way to enjoy broccoli?
Follow Half Your Plate on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for some great ideas to fill half your plate with fruits and veggies!
Disclaimer: this post was sponsored by Half Your Plate Canada. Thank-you for supporting the brands that support Sweet Peas & Saffron! As always, all opinions are my own.
Almond Broccoli Pesto Pasta Recipe with Chicken
Ingredients
Broccoli Pesto
- 4 cups broccoli florets and stems (8 oz /250g)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 3/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
- Zest from 2 lemons (2 tablespoons)
- Juice from 1 lemon (2.5 tablespoons)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds
- 1 cup basil leaves
Broccoli Pesto Pasta
- 8 oz uncooked pasta of your choice
- 1.5 cups broccoli florets, cut into very small pieces
- 1 cup broccoli pesto (recipe above)
- 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (see this post for baking instructions)
Instructions
Broccoli Pesto
- In the base of a 7-cup food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine all of the pesto ingredients.
- Blend until smooth, you will need to scrape down the sides and lid several times with a spatula.
Pasta
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- When one minute of cook time remains, add the broccoli florets to the pasta water.
- Drain pasta and broccoli, reserving ½ cup of the cooking liquid.
- Combine 1 cup of broccoli pesto with the cooking liquid and cherry tomatoes, and stir for 2-3 minutes, until smooth.
- Return the pasta and broccoli to the pot along with the chicken breast, and stir until coated.
Recipe Notes
Calories 499 // Fat 22 g // Saturated Fat 4 g // Cholesterol 40 mg // Sodium 174 mg // Carbohydrate 50 g // Fiber 6 g // Sugars 4 g // Protein 27 g
The pesto recipe makes 2-2.5 cups of pesto, however only 1 cup is needed for the pesto pasta recipe. Use your leftovers on pizza, potatoes, or as a dip!
Pesto keeps in an air tight container in the fridge for up to a week. The top may discolour slightly however it is still delicious!
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Serving Size | |
| Amount Per Serving | As Served |
| Calories 499 Calories from fat | |
| % Daily Value | |
| Total Fat 22 g | 34% |
| Saturated Fat 4 g | 20% |
| Cholesterol 40 mg | 13% |
| Sodium 174 mg | 7% |
| Carbohydrate 50 g | 17% |
| Dietary Fiber 6 g | 24% |
| Sugars 4 g | |
| Protein 27 g | |
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:
| Calories | 2000 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Fat | Less than | 65g |
| Sat Fat | Less than | 25g |
| Cholesterol | Less than | 300mg |
| Sodium | Less than | 2,400mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 300g | |
| Dietary Fiber | 25g | |
More pesto recipes!
- Kale, Pepita & Sunflower Seed Pesto from Sweet Peas & Saffron
- Cilantro Jalapeno Pesto Fish from Sweet Peas & Saffron
- Carrot Top Pesto Pasta from Healthy Nibbles & Bits
- Roasted Beet Pesto from The Roasted Root
Very nice! I love subbing in other nuts and greens for pestos. This one looks great.
Thanks so much, Mike! I’ve done almonds before but never broccoli 🙂
Oh my goodness this pesto pasta recipe looks amazing!! I could eat this every night for dinner!! And btw I’m jealous that you can eat outside every night for dinner. It’s way to hot here to do that. 🙁
Oh gosh, I can’t even imagine how hot Las Vegas must be!! I was boiling there in early May one year :/ Thanks, Cyndi!
This is a delicious way to get more veggies onto your plate, and it’s so pretty to look at — I’m loving all those colors! Congrats on getting the weather you’ve been wanting and planting that garden, too!
Thanks, Marcie! I’m so happy for a little sunshine. It’s good for the soul 🙂
I LOVE broccoli pesto! This pasta dish looks so vibrant, Denise! Thanks for sharing my carrot top pesto recipe!
This is my first ever broccoli pesto! Love at first taste 😉 Thanks, Lisa!
I’ve never tried broccoli pesto but I’m seriously obsessed with broccoli, so I’ve got to give it a go 🙂
If you love broccoli, you’ll LOVE broccoli pesto 🙂 Thanks, Medha!
Looks like you may use your sterling silver flatware every day too, maybe? We can’t wait to try this recipe because we love broccoli and pesto-what a great combo!
Ha! That’s my ‘model fork’, he is for photos only 😉 Thanks, Allyn! I hope you like the pesto.
I love easy dinners too, but it’s even better in the summer! And my husband and I love eating outside whenever the weather gets warmer…one of the many perks of summer! This pasta looks so good, Denise! I definitely need to sneak more broccoli into my diet, so this is perfect. And I love pesto, so I know this would be a winner!
I love eating outside, it makes me feel like I’m on holidays 🙂 Thanks, Gayle!
I can’t believe four cups of broccoli are hiding in there! Sneaky sneaky, Denise. 😉 I just love pesto, and this one has everything I crave!!
I’m so sneaky, aren’t I? Ha ha! Thanks, Alyssa!
Broccoli is actually one of my FAV veggies, so I’m pretty sure this pesto pasta has my name written ALL over it! Love that the broccoli is actually IN the pesto too! If this doesn’t get the kiddos in my family to eat their greens I don’t know what will! 😉
You are the anomaly: a broccoli lover 🙂 I knew there had to be one out there, ha ha!!
Oh how I wish our backyard oasis was 95% complete! Lol. Our yard (which was not a yard 3 years ago) has a looooooong way to go. BUT I did get a garden this year and I am PUMPED about it! Broccoli isn’t my favorite either, but I do LOVE pesto so I might just have to give this a try 😉
Aww baby steps! We didn’t use our deck all last summer because it was too hot. So I’m pumped to have somewhere to sit now! Thanks, Ashley!
I saw this on Facebook the other day and couldn’t get over that pesto! I love the idea of adding some broccoli into it because I seriously need more veggies in my life. This is awesome, Denise!
Was looking for ideas for dinner and stumbled on your blog (I think the link came thru Tumblr). Holy guacamole was I excited to see this- I love a good pesto. I grilled the chicken and substituted walnuts for the almonds. So delicious, definitely a keeper. And I’ve bookmarked your blog for future visits now. 🙂
Hi Tazie! Thank you so much for your kind words 🙂 I’m so glad you liked the pesto and hope you find some other recipes you like!