Nutritionist and content creator Emily English has revealed a simple trick to elevate standard pesto pasta by adding broccoli, increasing green vegetable consumption while maintaining great taste.
How to Make Superfood Pesto Pasta
In a recent TikTok video, Emily said: "If you love pasta but you also love getting in your greens, then this is the recipe for you. I love a pesto pasta, and this is an absolute superfood version." She added: "If you want something that's going to nourish you but also tastes absolutely delicious, then here's how to make it."
While Emily prepares her pesto from scratch, a shop-bought jar can be used as an alternative. To boost the greens and fibre content, she incorporates one head of broccoli blended with the other pesto ingredients to create a vivid green sauce for the pasta.
Recipe Details
Each portion delivers roughly 465 calories, seven grams of fibre and 19 grams of protein. Emily noted: "It's not allowed to be that good." The dish can also be enjoyed cold the following day.
Emily's video has amassed more than 35,700 views, along with 2,125 likes and five comments. Chloe wrote: "So yummy!! I love how this is a nut-free pesto, as I have a severe nut allergy, so this will be perfect, and I bet it would taste yummy as a pasta salad the next day." Another viewer commented "Love," while Sheila agreed, "YUUUM." Lauravals suggested: "Try it with cavolo nero."
Broccoli Pesto Pasta Recipe
Ingredients (serves four): 300g pasta (such as rigatoni or fusilli), one small head of broccoli cut into florets, one small garlic clove, 20g pumpkin seeds, 40g pecorino finely grated, 60g fresh basil, juice of half a lemon, two anchovy fillets, two tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 100g ricotta to serve.
Method: Bring a large pan of generously salted water to the boil. Add the broccoli and cook for three to four minutes until tender and vivid green. Lift the broccoli from the pan using a slotted spoon and transfer it immediately into a bowl of iced water (reserving the broccoli water). After a few minutes, drain thoroughly. Return the broccoli water to the boil, add the pasta and cook according to packet instructions. Meanwhile, place the drained broccoli into a blender along with the garlic, pumpkin seeds, pecorino, basil, lemon zest and juice, and anchovies. Pulse until the mixture is chunky and textured. Gradually incorporate the olive oil and a little pasta water until you achieve a loose pesto consistency. Season generously with black pepper and salt to taste. Prior to draining the pasta, set aside a large mugful of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pan and stir through the broccoli pesto, adding additional pasta water as required until the sauce is smooth and coats each piece evenly. Optionally, scatter over chilli flakes. Portion into bowls and complete each serving with a generous spoonful of ricotta, a crack of black pepper and a little extra pecorino.
