A rich creamy plant based pesto harnessing the superfood power of broccoli. Fresh basil, pine nuts and garlic anchor this recipe to the classic pesto tradition without relying on oil or heavily processed dairy alternatives. This dish comes together in minutes making it perfect for busy weeknights.
WHY I LOVE IT
I can’t think of a better recipe for plant-based foodies who are short on time. This pesto pasta makes no compromises when it comes to flavor and nutrition but it’s crazy fast and easy to make. Lifelong pesto lovers will find many familiar flavors and a richness that rivals that of recipes with oil. That’s because the aquafaba creates a thick creamy mouth feel. The broccoli naturally plumps the sauce and brightens the greenness of the fresh basil. Lemon juice and nutritional yeast work together to create a mildly cheesy experience which is intensified by shiitake mushroom powder, an optional umami boosting ingredient that’s highly recommended. Adding broccoli to pesto sauce increases the nutrient and fiber content in a way that makes this pasta dish more filling and energizing than traditional pesto. The sauce is thick enough to work as a sandwich spread or pizza topping and freezes beautifully.
YOUR CHOICE OF PASTA
This recipe works with any kind of pasta. As someone who’s largely whole food plant-based (WFPB) adherent, I usually try to stick with whole grain pastas. But when I was putting together this recipe I strayed and used a campanelle pasta made with refined wheat flour because I liked the look of this noodle too much to resist. You can also use fresh or gluten free pasta if you prefer.
SOFT BRIGHT BROCCOLI
By blanching the broccoli for 90 seconds I’m making it softer and brightening the color. Bright soft broccoli makes for a smooth and very pretty sauce. I specifically recommend a 90 second blanching because the broccoli doesn’t get cooked enough to require an ice water bath to shock it out of the cooking phase. If you’d like, you can use thawed frozen broccoli which is already blanched. You can also steam your broccoli instead according to your favorite steaming method. The idea is to get the broccoli just soft enough so that the sauce doesn’t turn out gritty, but not so well cooked that the color dulls. If you accidentally over-cook your broccoli, your pesto will almost certainly still be delicious but it won’t have the same vibrant color.
WHY THE SHIITAKE POWDER OPTION
Shiitake mushroom powder is an amazing way to add a layer of creamy umami flavor to this recipe. This immune boosting powder will not make your pesto taste mushroomy. Read more about the flavorful magic of shiitake mushroom powder and why it’s one of my favorite umami boosters for savory dishes here.
BLENDER OR PROCESSOR NEEDED
You need a blender or a food processor to make this recipe. A high speed blender is best because it makes the pesto smooth and does so quickly. Blenders with motors of less than a 1000 watts can still work for this recipe but the process but requires more patience.
AQUAFABA AS AN OIL SUBSTITUTE
The term aquafaba refers to the starchy liquid found in cans of chickpeas or other white beans. This liquid acts as a neutral-flavored plant-based substitute for various ingredients including oil, eggs and dairy cream. Avoiding oil is an important feature of being whole food plant-based (WFPB) adherent and aquafaba happens to be the perfect healthy oil alternative for many sauces and dressings. In this recipe aquafaba creates a creamy emulsion that binds and thickens the pesto sauce.
BLITZING THE PESTO SAUCE
Once you’ve got your broccoli all tender and green through blanching, steaming or thawing from frozen, you’re ready to process the sauce. Simply place all pesto ingredients in the blender or food processor bowl and process until smooth. Be patient and try to get the mixture as smooth as possible. Because my blender is fairly small, I have to add the basil leaves after the other ingredients have processed down a bit.
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Broccoli Basil Pesto Pasta Oil-Free Vegan
Equipment
- medium-large cooking pot
- medium-large strainer or colander
- blender or food processor
- skillet for toasting pine nuts (optional)
Ingredients
For the Pesto Sauce
- 12 oz packages broccoli florets (or florets from 1 large or 2 medium heads of broccoli, about 4½ packed cups)
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- ½ cup pine nuts
- ⅓ cup aquafaba (more if needed to adjust thickness)
- juice of 1 large lemon (about 3 Tbsp, or to taste)
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 4 to 6 garlic cloves
- ½ to 1 tsp salt (coarse sea salt or kosher salt recommended)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1½ tsp shiitake mushroom powder (optional)
Pasta
- 1 lb dry pasta, any type (or 1½ lb fresh pasta, any type)
Toasted Pine Nut Garnish (optional)
- ¼ pine nuts
Instructions
Blanche Broccoli Florets*
- Bring a medium-large pot of water to a rolling boil. (I don't add salt to the water because it strengthens the cell walls of the broccoli which is not what I'm going for in this recipe)
- Add broccoli florets to the water and cook for 90 seconds.
- Strain florets and set aside.
Make the Pesto Sauce
- Place all pesto sauce ingredients in the bowl of a blender or food processor. Process until completely smooth. Depending on the size of your blender or food processor, you may need to process some of the ingredients down before you can fit all the ingredients.
Toast Pine Nuts for Garnish (optional)**
- Place ¼ cup of pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat.
- Toast for 2 to 3 minutes stirring constantly. It's easy to burn pine nuts. You're done as soon as pine nuts begin to brown.
- Immediately transfer toasted pine nuts to a cold plate to stop the browning process and prevent burning.
Cook the Pasta
- Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package.
- When straining the pasta reserve about ⅓ cup of the cooking liquid to blend with the pesto.
Create the Pesto Pasta
- Return strained pasta along with reserved cooking liquid to pot and add the pesto. Gently stir together until all pasta pieces are coated.
Serve
- Serve pesto in individual bowls, sprinkling toasted pine nuts on each bowl if using.
- This recipe makes 4 generous servings or 6 smaller servings.
Storing
- Although this dish is best served immediately, you can also store it in a sealed refrigerated container for up to a week.
- I haven't tried freezing this pasta, but that would probably work. If you're planning to freeze this pasta dish, I recommend that you slightly undercook the pasta.
- You can make the pesto sauce ahead of time and store it in a sealed refrigerated container for up to 5 days or in the freezer for 3 to 6 months.
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