In honor of the farmer’s markets this year, I really wanted to highlight using easy to source farm fresh produce. Broccoli and parsley can be so easy to find throughout the summer, making this dish easy and cheap for summer Holiday BBQ’s. I created this Memorial Day Tahini Walnut Pesto Pasta recipe as a delicious and healthy side to start the summer off confident!
When I’m low on time and energy before a gathering, I can easily whip this up and make sure I am getting plenty of detoxifying vegetables. This recipe is so cheap and fast, I don’t bust my wallet. It’s become a regular staple in my routine during the summer, plus I don’t have to wait for later summer months to have enough garden fresh basil.
Being gluten & dairy free, I really started to miss a good, cheesy and creamy pesto pasta. This recipe is delicious and so easy to put together!
I swear there is no overpowering broccoli flavor. It is the perfect, light pesto recipe with a bit of added nutrition I am a big fan of broccoli, but too much can upset my stomach, a gentle boil or steam and blend with the yummiest of pesto ingredients.
If you struggle to get enough veggies in your life, this recipe is easy, delicious and so nutritious. I promise, if you try this Memorial Day Tahini Walnut Pesto Pasta, you won’t feel like you’re cooking. It’s a great meal prep item too. Just keep in a container for up to 3 days and add to your pasta at lunch or dinner during the week.
I originally invented this recipe when I had a chopped style challenge in my cooking lab at school. We had a head a broccoli and a kale salad in the works. At first we decided to roast the broccoli for the side, but decided to make it easily digestible and delicious by blending it up into a pesto. Along with our kale salad and broccoli walnut pesto, we topped it with chopped dates which turned out to be a surprisingly delicious addition. When I had extra pesto, I chopped dates, apples and mixed it in with extra olive oil to create a quick, delicious and nutrient packed salad dressing.
Liked these quick & easy tips for sneaking healthier, more nutrient dense ingredients into your diet? Check out my Mindful Eating Ebook that includes my clean eating pantry stocking list: https://www.theakkitchen.com/mindfuleatingebook
Broccoli Walnut Pesto
Ingredients
- 1 large crown broccoli steamed/blanched
- 1 clove crushed and chopped garlic
- 1-2 tbp roughly chopped green onions or shallot optional
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 4 tbsp tahini
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- juice from 1 1/2 lemons
- salt to taste (around 1/2-1 tsp)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- handful basil or parsley
Instructions
- Trim the stems from 1 large crown of broccoli.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and drop in your broccoli tops, cook for about 2 minutes.
- Quickly transfer or rinse your cooked broccoli in cold water to prevent it from overcooking.
- Once cooled down, transfer to a dry towel while you prepare your other ingredients.
- Crush your garlic, remove the peel and give it a rough chop.
- Add your ingredients to your food processor- onion (if using), walnuts, tahini, lemon zest, 1/2 the lemon juice, 1/2 the salt, olive oil, fresh herbs, broccoli and garlic.
- Blend everything until creamy.
- Scrape the sides of the food processor, taste test. If necessary, add more salt and lemon juice gradually until it reaches your taste preferences.
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