Broccoli Stalk Pesto Pasta Salad

WRITTEN BY

SERVES:

6-8 lunch portions

Prep Time:

15 minutes

Cook Time:

15 minutes

Take the hassle out of lunches AND reduce food waste, by prepping ahead with this simple Broccoli Stalk Pesto Pasta Salad.

This clever lunch recipe uses the whole broccoli, turning the often overlooked broccoli stalk into a flavourful pesto. It's super easy to whip up, and a great way to sneak some extra veggies into the kiddos' lunches, especially when you use a fun pasta shape! The chickpeas are a wallet-friendly source of vegetarian protein and fibre.

Once you try the Broccoli Stalk Pesto, you'll want to keep a jar permanently in the fridge to pair with fish, chicken or other roast veggies.

_INGREDIENTS:

_{PASTA SALAD:}

200g pasta of your choice.
250g pumpkin
1 x tin chickpeas
1 head broccoli
1 tsp Italian herbs
Olive oil for cooking
Salt & Pepper

_{BROCCOLI STALK PESTO:}

Stalk from the broccoli head
1 cup fresh Basil leaves.
1 Tbsp pine nuts
Juice of half a lemon
100ml olive oil
1 clove garlic
10g parmesan cheese
Salt & Pepper

_{INSTRUCTIONS:}

Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Cook the pasta according to packet instructions. Drain and set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 180°C
Chop the pumpkin into small cubes (you can leave the skin on if you wish, it will soften during baking).
Remove the florets from the broccoli stalk, and chop them into chunky pieces larger than the pumpkin (this is to ensure the broccoli doesn’t overcook while roasting with the pumpkin). Keep the broccoli stalk, this will be used to make the pesto.
Place the cubed pumpkin and broccoli florets onto a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and season with Italian herbs, salt, and pepper.
Bake for 10 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft and broccoli is tender. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
While the vegetables are baking, drain and rinse the chickpeas and set aside.
To make the broccoli stalk pesto, remove the very bottom of the stalk and discard. Chop the remaining stalk into smaller pieces.
Add to a blender along with basil leaves, garlic, parmesan cheese, pine nuts, lemon juice and oil. Blitz until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste, adding extra lemon juice if you’d like more zing.
To assemble: Add half the broccoli stalk pesto into the bottom of a large serving bowl. Cut the roasted broccoli florets into bite sized pieces and add to the bowl. Add the cooked pasta, roasted pumpkin, and chickpeas. Then add the remaining half of the pesto and mix through. Season with salt & pepper if required.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

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