A creamy, flavorful pesto made with simple pantry staples
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There’s something so satisfying about creating a recipe that feels elevated while still using ingredients you already have at home. Lately, I’ve been experimenting more with sauces and spreads because they instantly make simple meals feel more exciting without requiring a lot of extra effort.
This broccoli walnut basil pesto has quickly become one of my favorite fridge staples. It’s creamy, fresh, flavorful, and packed with greens while still tasting indulgent and comforting. I especially love that the broccoli helps stretch the recipe in a more budget-friendly way while adding extra texture and nutrients.
The best part? It comes together in about 15 minutes and works on just about everything: pasta, toast, sandwiches, wraps, grain bowls, crackers, or even as a dip for vegetables.
Ingredients
- 1–2 cups steamed broccoli
- 1/2 cup fresh basil
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4–5 garlic cloves
- 1/4–1/2 cup walnuts
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Steam the broccoli for about 10 minutes or until soft and bright green.
- Add the broccoli, basil, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, garlic cloves, walnuts, olive oil, and salt into a blender or food processor.
- Blend for 1–2 minutes until smooth and creamy. If you prefer a chunkier pesto texture, pulse lightly instead of fully blending.
- Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.
Ways to Use This Pesto
- Tossed with pasta
- Spread onto toast or sandwiches
- Mixed into rice or grain bowls
- As a dip with crackers or veggies
- Drizzled over roasted vegetables or chicken
Notes
You can easily customize this pesto depending on what you have available. Pine nuts or almonds could work in place of walnuts, and nutritional yeast could be used instead of Parmesan for a dairy-free version.
This is one of those recipes that feels simple enough for everyday life while still tasting special — exactly the kind of cooking I’ve been leaning into lately. Realistic, flexible, and full of flavor.
Shop My Kitchen
One of my favorite kitchen tools lately has been my BEABA Babycook Food Maker + Steamer. I originally started using it for baby food prep, but now use it constantly for steaming vegetables quickly for recipes like this broccoli walnut basil pesto. It’s compact, easy to clean, and perfect for small batch cooking.
Shop the BEABA Babycook Food Maker I used here:
BEABA Babycook Food Maker + Steamer
