This Pesto Pasta with Broccoli and White Beans is an easy 30-minute dinner packed with broccoli and protein. It can easily be made vegan or gluten-free and is great for the entire family. Bookmark this healthy pesto pasta for your weekly meal plan!
Pesto pasta is always a great meal on a busy weeknight when you want something easy but delicious. Pesto sauce is a nice break from marinara and can be loaded with veggies. This Pesto Pasta with Broccoli and White Beans comes together in under 30 minutes and goes great with a side salad or garlic bread.
I love making my own pesto recipes because I can customize them and add in other fresh herbs, like cilantro and mint. For this recipe, I used vegan kale, cashew, and basil pesto from Trader Joe’s, and it worked great.
Pesto Pasta with Broccoli and White Bean Recipe Ingredients
- Pasta – I used mini shells for this recipe but you can use whatever kind of pasta you like. I recommend something smaller, like penne or shells, rather than spaghetti or linguini.
- Broccoli – You can use fresh or frozen broccoli for this recipe and add a few other veggies if you like, but I wanted to keep the ingredient list simple.
- White Beans – I used a can of Great Northern beans, but you could also use cannelloni beans or chickpeas.
- Garlic – I love garlic, so I cooked about 3-4 cloves with the broccoli. If your pesto recipe is already super garlicky, you can skip the minced garlic.
- Pesto – I used a prepared vegan kale and basil pesto from Trader Joe’s, but you can use about one cup of any kind of pesto you like.
How To Make Easy Pesto Pasta with Broccoli and White Beans
- Fill a large pot with water, bring it to a boil, and add your pasta. You can add a big pinch of salt if you like. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, drain, and set it aside. You can set aside some of the pasta water if you think you might need it to thin the pesto out a bit. It depends on how thick your pesto sauce is.
- Heat a large pan over medium heat and add olive oil and minced garlic. Cook the garlic until fragrant, about one minute, and then add the broccoli and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Mix together and then let broccoli cook for 5-7 minutes, until tender. I like to place the lid on for a few minutes to allow the broccoli to steam a little bit.
- Add the white beans and cook for another minute or so. Next, add the cooked pasta and the pesto sauce. Mix everything together, adding a little of the reserved pasta water if needed, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Once I’m ready to eat, I like to add a little squeezed lemon on top.
Pesto Pasta Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- Can gluten-free pasta be used? Of course! Use your favorite gluten-free pasta for this recipe.
- Is this recipe vegan? Yes, I used vegan pesto (from Trader Joe’s), but you can use any kind of pesto you like.
- Is this pesto pasta freezer-friendly? I haven’t frozen it myself, but the ingredients are freezer-friendly.
- How long will leftover pasta last? If stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, leftovers should last about four days.
- What kind of pesto should be used for this recipe? You can use store-bought or homemade pesto. I have a great vegan pesto recipe if you need one!
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below, and I will get back to you ASAP.
Looking For More Easy Vegetarian Pasta Recipes?
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Pesto Pasta with Broccoli and White Beans
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Pesto Pasta with Broccoli and White Beans is an easy 30 minute dinner that’s packed with tons of broccoli and protein! It can easily be made vegan or gluten free and it’s great for the entire family. Bookmark this healthy pesto pasta for your weekly meal plan!
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta, I used mini shells and they worked great
- 1–2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cups chopped broccoli
- 1 (15 oz) can white beans, drained and rinsed
- 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup prepared pesto sauce
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Lemon wedges for squeezing, if desired
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water, bring to a boil and add your pasta. You can add a big pinch of salt, if you like. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set pasta aside. You can set aside some of the pasta water if you think you might need it to thin the pesto out a bit. It depends on how thick your pesto sauce is.
- Heat a large pan over medium heat and add about 1 tablespoon olive oil and minced garlic. Cook garlic until fragrant, about one minute, and then add in the broccoli and a big pinch of salt and pepper. I like to add in a little bit more olive oil after I have added the broccoli, but it’s up to you. Mix together and let broccoli cook for 5-7 minutes, until tender. I like to place the lid on for a few minutes to allow the broccoli to steam a little bit, while also getting some nice brown color to it.
- Add in the white beans and cook for another minute or so. Next, add in the cooked pasta and the pesto sauce. Mix everything together and add in a little of the reserved pasta water, if needed, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until pasta is warmed through. I also like to add a little squeezed lemon on the top, once I’m ready to eat.
Notes
If your pesto sauce is already very garlicky, you don’t have to add any extra to the broccoli.
The amount of oil you use is up to you. I like to add extra oil to the broccoli because it gives it some nice flavor, but you can go easy on the oil if you like.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Dinner, Vegan
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
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