Broccoli and Basil Pesto Linguine
By Joe
Source: NYT Cooking.
Linguine in a creamy, bright green pesto made by blending steamed broccoli with basil, pine nuts, garlic and Parmesan.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Steam the broccoli. Cut it into florets and steam about 5 min until tender but still bright green. Save 6 tbsp of the steaming water.
- 2
Blend. Whizz the garlic in the processor, then add the basil, pine nuts and oil and blend until minced. Add the warm broccoli and blend until smooth, loosening with the steaming water a spoonful at a time. Blend in the Parmesan and pepper. Broccoli stretches the pesto into a thick, creamy sauce with far less oil than usual.
- 3
Cook the pasta. Boil the linguine in 3 litres salted water until al dente and drain.
- 4
Serve. Toss the hot pasta with the pesto and serve with the sliced tomatoes on the side.
Storage
Cool and refrigerate in an airtight container within 2 hours for up to 2 days. Reheat in a pan with a splash of water until piping hot (74 °C).
EU nutrition claims
- Source of protein: 3.6 g protein per 100 kcal, about 15% of energy (needs ≥ 12%)
- Low sugars: 2.4 g sugars per 100 g (limit ≤ 5 g)
- Low salt: 0.18 g salt per 100 g (limit ≤ 0.3 g)
Per 100 g of the finished dish, worked out from the nutrition per serving and the lowest likely cooked weight (about 416 g a serving), so the true values are, if anything, lower. Thresholds from the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
Free sugars
0 g per serving
0 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 0 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g, based on WHO free-sugar guidance (not endorsed by WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO
Equipment
- steamer basket
- food processor
- large pot (at least 5 litres)
- colander or tongs
- heatproof mug for pasta water
Nutrition per serving Calculated from USDA FoodData Central
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 891 kcal |
| Protein | 32.4 g |
| Carbohydrate | 112.6 g |
| of which sugars | 9.9 g |
| of which free sugars | 0 g |
| Fat | 36.7 g |
| of which saturates | 6.5 g |
| Fibre | 10.6 g |
| Salt | 0.75 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
3.6 g High protein needs ≥ 5 g per 100 kcal (20% of energy) and ≥ 10 g per serving
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
