Broccoli Rabe Pesto

A bold broccoli rabe pesto with pecorino, garlic, and olive oil. Slightly bitter, gorgeously green, and perfect with pasta or beans.

why I love it

This broccoli rabe pesto is a fun, cool-weather spin off the standard basil version.

I love the floral, slightly bitter edge that broccoli rabe brings. It’s more pungent, a little bit mustardy, and more intense than basil or even kale pesto. There’s a faint sweetness underneath that makes it all work.

Winter and early spring is my favorite time to make this pesto, when the bunches are still tender and the bitterness feels manageable (and not too aggressive). Don't use broccoli rabe that's bolted or is grown in a heat wave, it will be unbearably bitter!

I love to blend in a big spoonful of ricotta for creaminess. The combination of pecorino and parmesan adds salt and depth, and a big glug of olive oil keeps it loose and glossy.

It’s the kind of sauce that clings to pasta but also works just as well spooned over warm white beans. I almost always make a big batch using my method for cooking dried beans, then toss them with a few big spoonfuls of pesto while they’re still hot.

It’s also great spread thick on toasted bread or tossed with homemade fresh pasta. Something simple like homemade pappardelle or even garganelli works especially well. 

I make this when I want something green and punchy but not delicate. It holds up. It doesn’t oxidize the way basil does, so you can make it ahead and it stays a deep, gorgeous green.

how to make broccoli rabe pesto:

more recipe tips:

• Blanch just until tender. Overcooking dulls the flavor and color. You want it bright green and crisp-tender.
• Squeeze it dry. Too much water interferes with the texture. Pesto is an oil-based based, and blending in excess water will create an emulsion which will taste a bit flat.
• Add more ricotta: I love the sweet creaminess that ricotta brings to the pesto. Depending on my mood (and the specific bunch of broccoli rabe) I may stir in more at the end, to taste.

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