Broccoli Pesto with Cannellini Beans
- Darrian Wilkins
- Last update: June 24, 2022
Enter broccoli pesto. This delicious sauce is not only really good for you, but also works to keep you satisfied every night of the week. Tonight, I topped some cannellini beans with a bit of crushed red pepper and smothered it in this broccoli pesto, an extra splash of olive oil, and a touch of parsley. This pesto would also work great on pasta, roasted vegetables, a nice piece of fish, white pizza, etc. With so many choices, you’ll be happily reaching for this pesto for days!
You need:
- 3 small heads of broccoli, seperated into florets
- 3 cloves garlic
- 8 whole hazelnuts
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 oz. parmigiano reggiano cheese
- 2 cups water
- juice of one lemon
- parsley, for garnish
- salt and pepper to taste
How to make it:
- In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil with a healthy pinch of salt.
- Add broccoli florets and cook until just done. This should only take a few minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a food processor: add hazelnuts, garlic, parmigiano reggiano, and half of the olive oil. Process to a smooth paste and scrape into a large bowl.
- When the broccoli is done, drain in a colander. Make sure to reserve a cup of the water.
- Process the broccoli in the food processor, in batches if you need to. Add some of the olive oil in each batch. Combine broccoli with the garlic, hazelnut, and cheese puree. Stir to combine.
- Add juice of the lemon. At this time, you may add up to a cup of the water the broccoli was cooked in to thin out the pesto. Season with salt and pepper to taste.