Tags: vegetarian sauce dinner pasta GF
Active Time: 25 minutes
Passive Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 2-3

Lighter pesto recipe

Bon Appetit

• Broccoli: 1 head
  
  
• Kosher salt: to taste
  
  
• Pasta: 6 oz (orecchiette or other short pasta)
  
  
• Parmesan: 1/2 cup grated
• Fresh basil leaves: 1/2 cup, packed
• Olive oil: 3 tbsp
• Lemon juice: 2 tsp
  
  
• Black pepper: to taste

• Can also be served with zoodles or other veggie noodles, or with chicken; sub GF pasta to make the meal GF

1. Separate broccoli stalk from florets and finely chop florets. Trimy woody end of stalk, then peel and finely chop. Cook stalk in a large pot of boiling salted water until bright green - about 3 minutes; remove with a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl of ice water, then drain on paper towels
2. In the same pot of boiling water, add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid
3. While pasta cooks, transfer broccoli (reserve a handful of florets) to a food processor and add parmesan, basil, oil, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, then process until smooth
4. Toss pasta with pesto, adding pasta cooking liquid as needed to evenly coat. Toss in reserved broccoli florets and season with salt and pepper