• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Little Ferraro Kitchen logo
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Fresh & Flavorful Spring Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Cookbooks
  • About
  • Contact
search icon
Homepage link
  • Fresh & Flavorful Spring Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Cookbooks
  • About
  • Contact
×
Home » Recipes » Vegetarian Recipes

Pesto Broccolini

Published: Jul 5, 2022 · Modified: Oct 30, 2022 by Samantha Ferraro · This post may contain affiliate links · 14 Comments

Jump to Recipe

Pesto broccolini is the ultimate side dish! Though, I will happily enjoy this as a main course too! Roasted broccolini is tossed with an herbaceous homemade pesto and garnished with toasted almonds, fresh lemon zest and a healthy drizzle of olive oil.

Roasted broccolini is tossed with an herbaceous pesto and garnished with toasted almonds, fresh lemon zest and a healthy drizzle of olive oil.

Pesto Broccolini

For years I thought I didn't like pesto. I always found it too salty and not the bursting with the fresh basil flavors that I craved.

Not until I started making my own pesto years ago. Pesto is all about balancing layers into a bright, slightly spicy and herbaceous spread.

My basil almond pesto is heavy on the basil and lighter on the Parmesan. Tender broccolini is roasted until just tender and tossed with a few spoonfuls of pesto until evenly coated.

Roasted broccolini with pesto is an easy vegetable dish that is done in under 30 minutes and is bursting with fresh flavors and textures.

Ingredients

  • Broccolini: Smaller than broccoli, broccolini is more tender with thinner leaves and a slimmer stalk. The only prepping you need to do to broccolini is to trim ¼ inch off the ends and cut larger stalks in half, lengthwise.
  • Toasted Almonds: Lightly toasted sliced or slivered almonds are used in the pesto and as garnish.
  • Fresh Basil: The main component in a classic pesto. Other options are arugula and spinach for a more mild pesto.
  • Parmesan Cheese: Grated for the pest and you could save some to garnish as well.
  • Olive Oil: A good amount is used in the pesto and for a final drizzle as garnish. Some of my favorites are this organic Argentinian olive oil and this Italian Laudemio olive oil that I only use as a finishing oil.
  • Garlic: Just 1 clove to not overpower the pesto.
  • Fresh Lemon: Lemon juice and broccolini go so well together. Right before serving, grate a bit of lemon zest over the roasted broccolini and a squeeze of lemon juice to wake up all the flavors.
  • Aleppo Pepper or Red Pepper: Optional for added heat and right at the end as a garnish. Aleppo pepper is a bit softer than traditional red pepper.

How to Make Roasted Broccolini with Pesto

  1. Make the pesto by adding toasted almonds and garlic to a food processor and pulse until the mixture is ground well.
  2. Add the fresh basil leaves, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt and pepper and pulse until well incorporated and there are no large pieces of basil or almonds. Taste pesto for seasoning and adjust as needed.
  3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and trim ¼ inch off the broccolini ends. If there are any large stalks, cut those in half, lengthwise.
  4. Place broccolini on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  5. Roast broccolini for 10-15 minutes until just tender and cooked through.
  6. Toss broccolini with 2-3 tablespoons of pesto and arrange on a serving platter. Garnish pesto broccolini with lemon zest and juice red pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper, toasted sliced almonds and a drizzle of olive oil.
Roasted broccolini is tossed with an herbaceous pesto and garnished with toasted almonds, fresh lemon zest and a healthy drizzle of olive oil.

Helpful Tips and Substitutions

  • Broccolini only takes 10-15 minutes to cook, so roast at a higher eat to caramelize the vegetable and still keep it tender and snappy.
  • This recipe makes more pesto than you need for the broccolini. You can store leftover pesto for up to 4 days in the refrigerator and add to pastas, pizzas and tarts.
  • When roasting broccolini on a baking sheet, spread them out so there is even roasting all around the vegetables.
  • Other ways to cook broccolini: Blanching, which is boiling the broccolini for a few minutes until it turns bright green, then immediately shocking the broccolini by placing the vegetables in a bowl filled with ice cold water to keep the color in tact and stop the cooking.
  • If fresh basil is not available for the pesto, substitute peppery arugula or mild spinach.
  • Pesto broccolini can be made up to 2 days in advance.

Serve Pesto Broccolini with These Recipes

  • On the side of roasted spatchcoick chicken with lemon and butter or stuffed cornish hens.
  • Or alongside chicken piccata with lemon and capers.
  • Serve with lemony shrimp scampi with parmesan.
  • Chopped up and tossed in with cherry tomato pasta.
  • Add leftover pesto broccolini to a spring pesto pizza.
Pesto broccolini is full of flavor and made in under 30 minutes! Roasted broccolini is tossed with fresh pesto and finished with bright lemon zest.

Pesto Broccolini

Samantha Ferraro

LittleFerraroKitchen.com

Roasted broccolini is tossed with an herbaceous pesto and garnished with toasted almonds, fresh lemon zest and a healthy drizzle of olive oil.
5 from 15 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 25 minutes mins
Course Dinner, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Italian, Mediterranean
Servings 4 servings
Calories 626 kcal

Equipment

  • Microplane
  • Food Processor

Ingredients
 
 

Basil Almond Pesto

  • ¼ cup toasted sliced almonds
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2-3 cups fresh basil leaves
  • ¾ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • Ground black pepper

Broccolini

  • 1 pound broccolini ends trimmed
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil + more for garnish
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest for garnish
  • ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper for garnish
  • Lemon wedges for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Make the pesto by adding toasted almonds and garlic to a food processor and pulse until the mixture is ground well.
  • Add the fresh basil leaves, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt and pepper and pulse until well incorporated and there are no large pieces of basil or almonds. Taste pesto for seasoning and adjust as needed. Set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and place broccolini on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
  • Roast broccolini for 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are just tender and cooked through.
  • Toss cooked broccolini with 2-3 tablespoons of pesto and arrange on a serving platter.
  • Garnish pesto broccolini with lemon zest, Aleppo pepper, toasted sliced almonds, drizzle of olive oil and lemon wedges.

Video

Notes

  • Broccolini only takes 10-15 minutes to cook, so roast at a higher eat to caramelize the vegetable and still keep it tender and snappy.and tarts.
  • This recipe makes more pesto then you need for the broccolini. You can store leftover pesto for up to 4 days in the refrigerator and add to pastas, pizzas.
  • When roasting broccolini on a baking sheet, spread them out so there is even roasting all around the vegetables.
  • Other ways to cook broccolini: Blanching, which is boiling the broccolini for a few minutes until it turns bright green then immediately shocking them by placing the vegetables in a bowl filled with ice cold water.
  • If fresh basil is not available for the pesto, substitute peppery arugula or mild spinach.
  • Pesto broccolini can be made up to 2 days in advance.

Nutrition

Calories: 626kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 11gFat: 60gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 42gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 730mgPotassium: 220mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 2764IUVitamin C: 107mgCalcium: 220mgIron: 3mg
Did you make this recipe?Let us know by leaving a comment and 5 star rating!

More Hearty & Flavorful Vegetarian Recipes

  • This pesto caprese pasta salad with full of cherry tomatoes, Parmesan cheese and a vibrant fresh pesto.
    Caprese Pasta Salad with Pesto
  • This easy homemade vegetable stock is made with leftover vegetable scraps including onion peels and herb stems.
    Homemade Vegetable Stock (From Scraps)
  • Easy one pot pasta recipe with sundried tomatoes and spinach and topped with parmesan cheese.
    One Pot Pasta with Spinach and Tomatoes
  • Tomatoes provencal with herbes de provence and parmesan cheese.
    Matzo Stuffed Tomatoes Provencal

Sharing is caring!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Print

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ruth says

    December 17, 2022 at 2:57 am

    5 stars
    I haven't tried this yet, but notice that it says that it can be made up to 2 days in advance. Up to what stage please, and then how to proceed? Thanks

    Reply
    • Samantha Ferraro says

      December 17, 2022 at 11:44 am

      You will love it. Par cook everything, then do a quick broil for a minute or two before serving. Great question. Thanks for following me. Sam.

      Reply
  2. Katie says

    July 08, 2022 at 6:47 am

    5 stars
    I've been looking for new ways to make broccolini, and this has got to be my favorite! It's easy to make and super delicious! Thanks for this awesome recipe!

    Reply
    • Samantha Ferraro says

      December 17, 2022 at 11:39 am

      You are so welcome. Thank you for supporting me. Sam

      Reply
  3. Nancy says

    July 07, 2022 at 12:54 pm

    5 stars
    Broccolini is my fav and adding pesto to it was really nice nutty touch

    Reply
    • Samantha Ferraro says

      December 17, 2022 at 11:40 am

      It really is a great combination... Thank you for following me. Sam

      Reply
  4. Holly says

    July 06, 2022 at 5:22 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious! The additions of lemon zest and Aleppo pepper put this dish over the top!

    Reply
    • Samantha Ferraro says

      December 17, 2022 at 11:40 am

      You are so right....Zest is the Best. Thanks for following me. Sam.

      Reply
  5. Andrea says

    July 06, 2022 at 4:29 pm

    5 stars
    the flavor of this pesto broccolini dish was spot on. such a great side dish!

    Reply
    • Samantha Ferraro says

      December 17, 2022 at 11:41 am

      Thank you Andrea, and thank you for following me. Sam.

      Reply
  6. Giangi says

    July 06, 2022 at 10:58 am

    5 stars
    I am so in love with this recipe. So good!! I love broccolini and with the pesto, the bar just got raised. Thank you

    Reply
    • Samantha Ferraro says

      December 17, 2022 at 11:42 am

      Thank you Giangi. Seems like raising the bar works. Thanks for following me. Sam.

      Reply
  7. Natalie says

    July 06, 2022 at 10:02 am

    5 stars
    I chopped your beautiful pesto broccolini and added it to my pasta as you suggested. Wow, it was amazing, thanks!

    Reply
    • Samantha Ferraro says

      December 17, 2022 at 11:42 am

      Fantastic... Thank you for following me. Sam.

      Reply
5 from 15 votes (8 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Samantha! I started this blog for my love of world cuisine and cultural flavors! You’ll find everything here from Jewish recipes, Middle Eastern, Italian and more!

More about me →

Mediterranean Favorites

  • Greek shrimp saganaki recipe with feta in a rich tomato sauce.
    Greek Shrimp Saganaki
  • Pearled couscous with colorful roasted vegetables.
    Israeli Couscous Salad with Roasted Vegetables
  • One pot Dutch oven chicken thighs are cooked with rice and chickpeas and seasoned with lemon and cumin.
    One Pot Chicken and Rice with Lemon and Chickpeas
  • Easy and creamy homemade hummus is garnished with olive oil and sprinkle of paprika on top.
    Creamy Homemade Hummus
  • Greek quinoa salad with chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, chopped cucumbers, artichoke hearts, olives and cubes of feta cheese. The quinoa salad is tossed with a lemon vinaigrette and fresh mint and fresh dill.
    Greek Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas and Lemon Vinaigrette
  • Roasted chicken with turmeric, fennel and citrus.
    Roast Chicken with Fennel and Citrus
Buy This Book Online
Buy from Amazon Kindle
Buy from IndieBound
Buy from Barnes and Noble
Buy from Amazon
One Pot Mediterranean
Buy now!

Order My Latest Cookbook!

One Pot Mediterranean cookbook cover

Subscribe to receive weekly recipes and a FREE Mediterranean Dinner Meal Plan!

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

Footer

↑ back to top

Featured In

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 · Samantha Ferraro · Little Ferraro Kitchen · All Rights Reserved

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.