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Overhead shot of casarecce pasta tossed with almond pesto and blackened broccoli florets on a wooden board

Smoky Charred Broccoli Almond Pesto Pasta with Lemon

Broccoli charred hard in a dry skillet, tossed with a coarse toasted almond pesto and short pasta, ready in about 40 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Pasta
Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Calories: 609
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Charred Broccoli
  • 500 g broccoli florets about 1 large head, cut into small even florets
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper freshly ground
For the Almond Pesto
  • 50 g raw almonds whole or sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 40 g fresh basil leaves about 2 cups, loosely packed
  • 30 g parmesan grated, plus more for topping
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice about 1/2 lemon
  • 75 ml olive oil 1/3 cup
  • 1/4 tsp salt plus more to taste
For the Pasta
  • 340 g short pasta casarecce or fusilli, 12 oz
  • 1 tbsp salt for pasta water
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes optional, for topping

Method
 

Char the Broccoli
  1. Heat a 12-inch / 30 cm cast-iron skillet over high heat for 2 minutes, until it's smoking hot.
  2. Toss the broccoli florets with 2 tbsp olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add to the skillet in a single layer, working in two batches if needed, and let sit untouched for 3 to 4 minutes until deeply blackened on one side.
  3. Flip the florets and char the other side for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Make the Almond Pesto
  1. Toast the almonds in the same dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, shaking often, until golden and fragrant. Let cool for a couple of minutes.
  2. Pulse the toasted almonds, garlic, basil, parmesan, and lemon zest in a food processor until coarsely chopped.
  3. With the processor running, stream in the 75 ml olive oil until the pesto is thick but pourable. Season with the lemon juice and salt, taste, and adjust.
Cook the Pasta and Combine
  1. Bring a 6-quart / 5.7 L pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions, about 10 to 11 minutes, until al dente.
  2. Reserve 1 cup / 240 ml of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
  3. Return the hot pasta to the pot and toss with the almond pesto, adding pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce coats the noodles.
  4. Fold in most of the charred broccoli, reserving a handful for topping.
  5. Divide between bowls, top with the reserved broccoli, extra parmesan, and red pepper flakes if using. Serve right away.

Notes

  • Char broccoli in batches if the skillet is crowded, single-layer contact matters most.
  • Toast almonds before blending, raw almonds taste flat in the pesto.
  • Save pasta water before draining, you need it to loosen the sauce.
  • Grate parmesan fresh, bagged shredded cheese turns gritty in the pesto.