Chef notes
This pesto balances the bright flavors of basil and lemon with the savory flavor of roasted broccoli. It's a really easy way to get greens in through my favorite vehicle: carbs and cheese. I developed this a few years ago and had my mom test it. Now, her coworkers are hounding her for the recipe and my dad mentions it at least every month.
Technique tip: Blanching the basil and shocking it in an ice bath will help the pesto retain a vibrant green color, but if you don't want to deal with the extra bowl, you can skip it — your pesto might come out a bit dark, though! When roasting the broccoli, rely on your timer and don't stir. This helps the broccoli develop a deep brown color and savory flavor. If you're wary of roasting, you can blanch the broccoli in the boiling water for about 10 minutes at step 3 instead.
Swap option: If you're not a fan of basil, you can replace it with baby spinach and blanch it for 20 seconds in step 3. This is a full meal on its own but it's delicious served with roast chicken, crispy skin salmon, or shrimp sautéed in garlic and butter.
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