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Broccoli Pasta with homemade basil pesto - a quick gluten free, vegan dinner. #broccolirecipe #veganpasta #glutenfreepasta #easydinner #familydinner #pesto #AscensionKitchen

Protein-Rich Broccoli Pasta with Fresh Pesto

Naturopath Lauren Glucina
Broccoli Pasta, packed with greens, made with gluten free legume pasta, and a homemade basil pesto.
5 from 6 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main
Cuisine Plant-based
Servings 4
Calories 572 kcal

Ingredients
  

PESTO:

  • 2 cups fresh basil tightly packed
  • 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 2 tablespoons cashews
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 1 clove garlic peeled and minced
  • juice of ½ a lemon
  • ¼ teaspoon coarse sea salt
  • ample black pepper freshly ground
  • 5 tablespoons hemp or olive oil both are equally as nice

PASTA:

  • 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 250 grams legume pasta I used the San Remo 'Pulse Pasta'
  • 1 broccoli
  • onion white
  • 1 leek white part only
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions
 

PESTO:

  • Wash the basil leaves and let dry or use a salad spinner (genius inventions those!). Place all ingredients in a food processor and blitz till almost smooth. Transfer to a large pasta bowl. Note: this recipe will yield about 1 cup pesto.

PASTA:

  • Dry-toast the seeds in a pan for a minute or two until golden, then set aside and wipe the pan clean.
  • Prep vegetables: wash and dry broccoli, remove stalk, and cut the florets into very small pieces. Finely slice the white part of the leek. Peel and slice the onion.
  • Put the pasta on to cook as per packet instructions.
  • Arrange broccoli florets on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, and bake for ten minutes or until just crisp, at 180˚C (356˚F).
  • Meanwhile, heat oil in fry pan, medium heat. Cook onion and leek till softened.
  • Once pasta has cooked (about 10 minutes) drain and rinse very quickly under cold water. Add back to the pot, add all other ingredients and toss to combine.
  • Serve with lemon wedges and fresh basil leaves!

Notes

  • You might like to toast a larger quantity of seeds in advance, and store them in a glass jar in the pantry. Super handy to sprinkle over salads to dress them up!
  • The pesto is another component of the recipe you can either make in advance or purchase if you are super short on time - there are some lovely vegan brands on the market now
  • The type of pasta matters - I've found the best gluten free brands are made with little or no grains, and a whole lot of legume
  • When you re-heat leftovers, sprinkle a little water over the pasta to re-hydrate, it will be a bit dryer than regular pasta
  • Sun-dried tomatoes a nice addition for variety
  • A sprinkle of my Raw Brazil Nut Parmesan (again - I have large batches of this made in advance) is just delicious
  • Nutritional info is an estimate only

Nutrition

Calories: 572kcalCarbohydrates: 62gProtein: 23gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 4gSodium: 154mgFiber: 13gSugar: 9gCalcium: 170mgIron: 6.3mg
Keyword Broccoli Pasta
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