• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

VegKitchen logo

  • Vegan Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Baking and Sweets
    • Breakfast
    • Main Dishes
    • Pasta and Noodles
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches and Wraps
    • Sauces, Dressings, and Condiments
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups, Stews, and Chilis
    • Snacks and Dips
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • Canning and Preserving
    • Cheese-y Delights
    • Global Recipes
    • Raw Vegan
    • Slow-Cooker
  • Vegan Living
    • Vegan Substitutions Guide
    • Green Kitchen
    • Healthy Eating Tips
    • Food and Produce Guides
    • Vegan Food Hacks
    • Kid Friendly
    • Vegan Product Reviews
    • More Vegan Living
  • About
  • Shop Cookbooks
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Vegan Recipes
  • Vegan Living
  • Cookbooks
  • About Us
  • Freebie!
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Vegan Recipes
    • Vegan Living
    • Cookbooks
    • About Us
    • Freebie!
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Vegan Main Dishes

    Whole Wheat Pasta with Broccoli Pesto

    Published: Mar 15, 2019 · Updated: Mar 4, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    This quick recipe comes together in as little as 15 minutes, and makes a tasty vegan pasta dish. The flavorful Broccoli Pesto sauce coats whole wheat spaghetti (or pasta of your choice) for a rich, meatless main course. It’s fast and foolproof, and tastes so good, it will please even the most stubborn broccoli skeptics. Recipe and photos contributed Andrea Soranidis of The Petite Cook.

    Whole Wheat Pasta with Broccoli Pesto

    Serves: 4
    Total time: 15 to 20 minutes

    Ingredients

    • 2 ½ cups broccoli florets
    • 1 (12 oz) package whole wheat spaghetti
    • extra-virgin olive oil
    • ½ leek, white and pale green parts, thinly sliced (rinse well after slicing to remove grit)
    • ½ Thai red chili, thinly sliced
    • ~1 tbsp pistachio, crumbled for garnish
    Broccoli Pesto
    • ½ cup reserved cooked broccoli florets from above
    • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
    • juice of 1 lemon (reserve the zest)
    • 3 tbsp almonds, finely chopped
    • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
    • salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

    Instructions

    1. In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook the broccoli florets for 4 to 5 minutes, or just until tender and still bright green.
    2. With a slotted spoon, transfer the florets from the water into a bowl filled with cold water and ice, then drain and set aside. This will stop the cooking process and will help the broccoli keep its bright green color.
    3. Add the spaghetti to the same pot and cook for 10 minutes, or until al dente, then drain.
    4. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Drizzle with oil and add the sliced leek. Stir-fry for 1 minute, add chili and cook for another min. Turn the heat off and allow to rest.
    5. Combine reserved broccoli florets, almonds, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice in a small blender or food processor. Give it a quick spin, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add 2 tablespoons of pasta cooking water into the broccoli mixture and blend until smooth and creamy. Add a little more water if necessary.
    6. Add the cooked and drained spaghetti to the skillet and stir together with sautéed leeks and chili. Add ⅓ cup of broccoli pesto sauce, and the remaining florets. Cook the mixture for one minute.
    7. Grate the zest of half lemon over the pasta mixture and season with a pinch of black pepper and crumbled pistachio. Serve immediately and enjoy!

    Broccoli pesto pasta

    • See more recipes and tips at The Petite Cook.
    • Here are more recipes for Pasta on the Lighter Side.

    More Vegan Main Dishes

    • vegan sloppy joes
      Vegan Sloppy Joes - with Pinto Beans and Quinoa!
    • vegan cream of asparagus soup
      Vegan Cream of Asparagus Soup
    • vegan greek pasta salad
      Vegan Greek Pasta Salad
    • vegan creamy mushroom pasta
      Vegan Creamy Mushroom Pasta

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    nicole malik from vegkithen.com

    Hi, I'm Nicole! I'm the creator behind VegKitchen, and the author of the popular cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. Learn more about me here.

    More about me →

    vegan substitution chart

    Featured Recipes

    • recipes for a vegan Christmas dinner menu
      Best Vegan Christmas Recipes
    • vegan christmas cookies
      Vegan Christmas Cookies
    • vegan irish stew
      Old-Fashioned Vegan Stew
    • vegan breakfast casseroles
      10 Make-Ahead Vegan Breakfast Casseroles
    • Sticky Sesame Cauliflower
    • vegan jalapeno poppers
      Vegan Jalapeno Poppers

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    • Shop Cookbooks
    • Free Vegan Cheat Sheet
    • About Us
    • Work with Me
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use

    Still hungry? Check out our delicious family of blogs.


    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2021 Hook & Porter Media