If my 3-year old were stranded on a deserted island and she could only bring 1 food, I swear it would be pesto. She has very distinct tastes & preferences and when she has a favorite, well, that’s pretty much all she can think about. And pesto has topped that favorite list for over a year now. It works out great for me because, it’s pesto! I have made it 100 different ways and she loves it every time. On pasta, on pizza, on grilled cheese, on chicken, on salmon…you get the point.
This broccoli pesto was created out of leftovers. We had a large container of roasted broccoli in the fridge and I thought it would be great as a pesto. So we warmed it up, tossed it in the food processor with basil and Parmesan and voila! A new favorite was created. Here’s our recipe below. I hope your littles will enjoy it as much as mine do – it’s easy, it’s healthy (hello, green veggies!) and it is super, duper yummy!
This pesto is:
- Healthy
- Easy to make
- Loaded with nutrients
- Delicious
- A great use of leftovers
- Fun
- Good as a dip or sauce
- Nut-free
- 1 head of broccoli florets, roasted* (or steamed)
- 1 cup packed basil leaves
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- Add cooked broccoli and basil to a food processor. Process until finely chopped; scrape down the sides of the bowl. With the processor running, slowly add the olive oil. Puree until smooth. Add the cheese and process until well blended. Add the salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer pesto to a bowl and add hot pasta plus ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water (the pesto is enough for 1 lb. of pasta). Stir until well combined and serve with additional Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.
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