Zesty Lemon Garlic Broccoli Pesto Pasta

• 12 oz whole wheat spaghetti
• 3 cups broccoli florets (about 1 small head of broccoli)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (use nutritional yeast for vegan option)
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Cook the whole wheat spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain and set aside.
2. While the pasta cooks, steam the broccoli florets until tender but still bright green, about 5-6 minutes. Drain and cool slightly.
3. In a food processor, combine steamed broccoli, minced garlic, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Pulse until coarsely blended.
4. With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture forms a creamy pesto. If the pesto is too thick, add a tablespoon or two of the reserved pasta water until desired consistency is reached. Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes to taste.
5. In a large mixing bowl, toss the cooked spaghetti with the broccoli pesto until fully coated.
6. Gently fold in the halved cherry tomatoes for a fresh burst of flavor and color.
7. Serve immediately, garnished with additional Parmesan cheese and lemon zest if desired.

Chef tips

• If you don’t have walnuts, pine nuts or almonds work well as substitutes.
• For a nut-free option, omit the walnuts and add a tablespoon of sunflower seed butter to the pesto to maintain creaminess.
• Reserve some pasta water to adjust the pesto sauce consistency; this ingredient helps the sauce cling nicely to the pasta.
• To make it vegan, replace Parmesan cheese with nutritional yeast and ensure your pasta contains no eggs.