As an Amazon Associate I may earn a small amount from qualifying purchases if you follow a link from my site to Amazon.
This Nut-Free Broccoli Sauce is my new favorite way to get fiber into my son’s lunchbox without having to worry about school food allergy rules. On those occasions that he packs a home lunch (sack lunch for those of you outside of Hawaii), I mix this with pasta or quinoa along with some sausage or leftover rotisserie chicken and pack this all with some fruit.
Is this really a pesto sauce?
Sorry to all of those Italians out there who are probably balking at my calling this a pesto. Pesto is an Italian sauce made from crushing basil, cheese, garlic, pine nuts, and salt in a mortar and pestle then mixing it with olive oil. This recipe is not a traditional Italian pesto sauce.
Rather, this Nut-Free Broccoli Pesto recipe is a fun way to incorporate another way to feed vegetables to your family using a familiar sauce and a food processor to speed up the process so you can spend time with them outside of the kitchen.
Health Benefits: Broccoli
Broccoli is such a powerhouse of a plant. It has anti inflammatory properties, tons of vitamins and minerals, and fiber. The nutrients found in broccoli can help to protect your heart, brain, and digestive system. Some studies even suggest that broccoli might help to prevent cancer.
This vegetable is easy to incorporate into different dishes and is often a favorite of many kids. There are also so many ways to prepare it: steamed, roasted, sauteed, blanched, etc. Keep Japanese-style tempura-fried broccoli at a minimum since the frying/cooking at a high temperature counter-acts the health and anti-inflammatory benefits of broccoli.
Health Benefits: Parmesan Cheese
Besides the calcium benefit, adding cheese to your diet is a nice way to get some nutty flavor into your meals when you can’t have nuts in your food! Parmesan cheese also has a ton of protein, making it filling when you have to make a nut-free meal. It’s also considered safe for people who are lactose intolerant to eat, according to Healthline’s article, Parmesan Cheese: Nutrition, Benefits, and Uses.
Stay away from Parmesan if you have cow milk allergies. Parmesan cheese is also high in fat. Spread out your cheese eating so you are not eating it at every meal.
Check out more meals that come together in 20 minutes below:
Nut-Free Broccoli Pesto
Equipment
- 1 large cutting board
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 5-quart pot or larger
- 1 Colander
- 1 9-cup food processor
- 1 spatula
Ingredients
- 5 cups broccoli roughly cut into large florets and stems (about 1 lb)
- 5 cloves garlic peeled
- ½ cup parmesan cheese shredded
- 1 cup olive oil extra virgin
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil.
- Boil broccoli florets and stems for 3 to 5 minutes until they are fork tender. Drain in colander.
- Fill a large bowl with ice water. Plunge the broccoli in the ice bath to stop the cooking process and keep its beautiful green color.
- Place cooked and cooled broccoli, garlic, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, black pepper, and salt in a food processor. Blend until smooth.
- Serve mixed with your favorite pasta or grain. Store for up to 3 days. You can also freeze in small portions for up to 3 months with a thin layer of olive oil on the top of the sauce.
