Roasted Broccoli Pesto Pasta- Vegan and Gluten-Free

I am so excited for the weekend. It has been a mother of along week. If you follow me on insta-stories then you know that I spent a few days “stage-momming” for Coco as she filmed her first short-film in a small town about an hour outside Seattle. Coco has done a bunch of commercials, but never anything like this where there was 24 pages of dialogue that she had to memorize- I am so proud of her and she had so much fun. I on the other hand probably gained like 5 pounds stress eating while I watched her from my little folding chair on the side of the set.

So now it’s time to ditch the potato chips (yes, that’s what I was plowing through all week) and trade in for some healthier fare- Like this delicious and healthy Roasted Broccoli Pesto Pasta.

I love the nutty flavor of roasted broccoli, so I thought it would be a delicious touch to add to a pesto (aka: how I trick Coco into eating more green vegetables). And this did the trick! Coco actually wound up eating more of this than anyone and then took leftovers to school the next day!

Roasted Broccoli Pesto Pasta- vegan and gluten-free

Author: Heather Christo

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Pasta:
1 pound gluten-free pasta
Roasted Broccoli Pesto:
12 ounces broccoli
6 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
Sautted Broccoli:
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces broccoli (I used broccolini)
kosher salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss the broccoli florets, garlic cloves, olive oil and a sprinkle of kosher salt on a sheet pan.
Roast the broccoli at 425 for 20 minutes until golden.
While the broccoli is roasting, cook the pasta until al dente.
When the broccoli is done add it to a food processor and add the olive oil and the vinegar and puree until smooth. Season to taste with kosher salt.
On the stove top, heat a pan over high heat and add the olive oil and the broccoli (or I used broccolini) and sauté for about 3-4 minutes. Toss the pasta with the pesto and season to taste with kosher salt. Serve with the broccoli or broccolini on the side.

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