Broccoli Pesto Pasta with Ricotta
Dreaming of a light broccoli pasta dish? Broccoli Pesto Pasta with Ricotta is perfect for those warmer spring days when you are looking for something fresh. This pesto pasta is delightful! And you can enjoy this for lunch or dinner or both!
Jump to RecipeWhy this Recipe Works
This Broccoli Pesto Pasta is a classic! It has the freshest of ingredients with the broccoli, basil, fresh parmesan cheese and lemons. It’s also a nice dish to hide those great ingredients inside so your kids don’t ask a lot of questions. This is one of those recipes that can work for a meatless Monday or even as something you can serve cold.
Ingredients for Broccoli Pesto Pasta
I really love recipes with fresh ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Broccoli
- Fresh Basil
- Parmesan Cheese
- Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Butter
- Shallot
- Lemon Juice
- Ricotta Cheese
How to Make Broccoli Pesto Pasta
Put the broccoli, basil, parmesan cheese, olive oil, a pinch of salt, and the crushed red pepper into the food processor and blend until smooth. Set aside.
In the meantime, cook your pasta at the perfect al dente consistency. The instructions on the box will tell you the best amount of time to cook the pasta. Make sure you save about a 1/2 cup of the pasta water to use later. You will then prepare the pasta sauce using the butter, shallots and lemon juice.
Notes
- If you like your pesto a little bit chunkier, pulse the food processor for a shorter amount of time. If you like it smoother, pulse longer. You can even add a little more olive oil depending on the consistency.
- Always prepare your pasta al dente (meaning a little undercooked). Your pasta will finish cooking in the skillet with the lemon sauce.
- You can add a little chicken or shrimp to this dish for a complete pasta dish.
- If you don’t have ricotta cheese, you can leave it out. It’s still a wonderful dish without. You can also whip up the ricotta and make it creamier by putting into the food processor for a few seconds.
- Serve with a side salad or some garlic bread.
Hungry for More?
These salad ideas make great compliments to this Broccoli Pesto Pasta with Ricotta.
Broccoli Pesto Pasta with Ricotta
Dreaming of a light broccoli pasta dish? Broccoli Pesto Pasta with Ricotta is perfect for those warmer spring days when you are looking for something fresh. This pesto pasta is delightful!
Ingredients
- 1 head Broccoli roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup Fresh Basil roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese freshly grated
- 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- pinch Kosher Salt
- pinch Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- 3/4 pound Linguini Pasta
- 1 tablespoon Butter
- 1 Shallot minced
- 1 Lemon zest and juice
- Black Pepper
- 1 cup Ricotta Cheese (optional)
Instructions
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In a food processor, blend together the broccoli, basil, parmesan cheese, olive oil, and a pinch of salt & crushed red pepper. Pulse to your desired consistency. Set aside.
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Meanwhile, add salt to boiling water and cook your linguini pasta to an al dente texture. Reserve about a 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta.
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In a large skillet, heat the butter over medium to high heat. Add the shallots and lemon zest and cook for about 3 minutes or until the shallots are cooked through.
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Add the pasta into the skillet. Follow that up with the broccoli pesto, lemon juice and a pinch of black pepper. Mix together. You may need to add the pasta water if the pasta is too dry.
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If desired, spread a scoop of ricotta cheese on your plate. Top with the finished broccoli pesto pasta. Add additional parmesan cheese on top and serve.
Recipe Notes
- If you like your pesto a little bit chunkier, pulse the food processor for a shorter amount of time. If you like it smoother, pulse longer. You can even add a little more olive oil depending on the consistency.
- Always prepare your pasta al dente (meaning a little undercooked). Your pasta will finish cooking in the skillet with the lemon sauce.
- You can add a little chicken or shrimp to this dish for a complete pasta dish.
- If you don’t have ricotta cheese, you can leave it out. It’s still a wonderful dish without. You can also whip up the ricotta and make it creamier by putting into the food processor for a few seconds.
- Serve with a side salad or some garlic bread.