Broccolini Pasta with Arugula Pesto

This light and flavorful broccolini pasta with arugula pesto is a delicious 30-minute vegetarian dinner recipe that’s perfect for the cool weather months. Homemade pesto, walnuts, spinach, and fresh broccolini make a healthy pasta you can serve to your family or guests.

A good bowl of pasta is always a welcome dinner in my house. We love noodles in all forms, from one-pan cheesy bolognese to easy salmon ramen, but this vegetable pasta is a new favorite of ours.

It uses simple ingredients like walnuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and a quick homemade pesto to make fall and winter ingredients like spinach and broccolini shine. In just half an hour, you can whip this up for a casual family meal, but it looks and tastes beautiful enough to serve to guests at a party as well.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• This light pasta is full of vegetables so you can enjoy it without feeling heavy afterward.
• It’s a great way to use winter and fall seasonal ingredients in an easy dinner.
• It can be both a casual dinner or a beautiful pasta to serve to guests.

What is Broccolini?

You’ve probably seen broccolini at your local farmer’s market or the grocery store. It is similar to broccoli, but slender. It has thin, long, tender stems and smaller florets at the top. The flavor is milder and sweeter than broccoli.

It’s available year-round, but the peak season is from October to April, making it a perfect vegetable to enjoy from mid-fall all the way through early spring.

Ingredients

The combination of fresh ingredients and pantry staples you’ll use to make your broccolini pasta creates a light and flavorful meal. Here’s what you need and the best substitutions I can suggest.

For the Arugula Pesto

• Arugula – Watercress has a similar peppery flavor if needed.
• Basil
• Walnuts – Pine nuts are a classic for pesto that can be used here.
• Garlic
• Lemon zest
• Parmesan – Romano or Grana Padano are good swaps.
• Olive oil

For the Pasta

• Spaghetti noodles – Any pasta will technically work, but I recommend something long.
• Broccolini
• Olive oil
• Garlic
• Spinach – Other tender greens like arugula, beet greens, or chard are great options.
• Feta cheese – Ricotta or a crumbly goat cheese can be a good substitute.
• Chopped Walnuts

Instructions

You’ll need a food processor or blender and a large pot to get started. The first step is making the pesto from scratch.

Combine all the arugula pesto ingredients in the food processor with 1 tablespoon of the oil, reserving the rest to the side. Pulse until everything is roughly chopped together. Let the processor run then and slowly stream in the remaining oil until the pesto is smoothly combined. Season it with salt and pepper to taste.

Next, boil a large pot of salted water. Cook the spaghetti noodles according to the package instructions. Meanwhile, split the bigger pieces of broccolini in half lengthwise.

In the last two minutes of the pasta cooking time, drop the broccolini into the water as well. When the pasta is tender, drain the pot, but reserve ½ cup of pasta water.

Heat olive oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat. Add in the garlic and spinach and cook, while stirring, until the spinach is wilted. It takes about 2 minutes.

Add in the cooked pasta, broccolini, pesto, and the reserved pasta water. Stir until a light sauce forms and everything is well coated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Top each bowl of pasta with a sprinkle of chopped walnuts and crumbled feta cheese.

Storage and Serving

Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat it gently in a pan with a splash of water to help loosen things up.

I hope you enjoy this fresh broccolini pasta as much as we do during the winter and fall. While you’re here check out my other cold season pastas too!

• Shrimp and Kale Pasta with Cauliflower Sauce
• Basil Pesto Chicken Pasta Bake
• Sausage and Kale Pasta with Mushrooms
• Creamy Romanseco Pasta