Jenny Rosenstrach’s Broccoli Pesto Pasta

Since college I have found myself immersed in the world of food. In the ten years or so since then, there have been a few people who have really influenced my approach to cooking and sharing recipes. Jenny Rosenstrach is one of them. As a lifelong vegetarian, Jenny was one of the first recipe creators I discovered who shared recipes that I could recreate in my kitchen. Simply put, her recipes always stand out for their simultaneous creativity and ease of use.

Jenny is the founder of Dinner: A Love Story, an award-winning website and Substack newsletter dedicated to family dinners. She is also the New York Times bestselling author of six books, including Dinner: a love story and daily vegetarian. Every recipe I make feels like a lightbulb moment, and Jenny’s writing is witty yet empathetic. (Which is exactly the sound you want during your many trials and tribulations in the kitchen.) Many of her recipes quickly found their way into my regular recipe rotation, and it makes sense.

Jenny Rosenstrach on how to make a weeknight meal everyone will love

With her latest book, Vegetarian food becomes easy on weekdaysJenny is sharing more incredible vegetarian recipes that prove meat-free eating can be easy and delicious. Keep scrolling for the exclusive look at Jenny’s broccoli pesto pasta recipe and her unconventional take on everyone’s favorite weeknight meal.

How would you describe your concept of cooking and gastronomy?

I’ve been writing Dinner: A Love Story for almost 15 years, and whether it’s a kid, a high school student, a college student, or an empty nester, my mission remains the same: Make dinner—it doesn’t have to be fancy—and make it as enjoyable as possible Share with loved ones. To that end, my recipes are unfussy, authentic, and made in a home kitchen rather than a test kitchen.

What was your process like developing this recipe?

It was an important day in my cooking life when I discovered that pesto doesn’t have to be made with basil and pine nuts. In fact, it can be made with almost any vegetable and any nut, as long as you have some good olive oil and Parmesan cheese. I don’t remember how it happened, but my guess is that the broccoli I had around wasn’t probably the freshest. To save it, I did what I always do: I made it into a creamy sauce for pasta. I’ve found that this is never the right answer.

What makes this recipe your go-to for weeknights?

I love that the entire recipe happens in one pot (plus a blender) and that the pasta cooks in the same water as the broccoli florets. I’m not willing to do a massive cleanup on a weeknight.

Can this recipe be made with minimal tools?

While yes, it’s always easier to throw an immersion blender into a pot of softened brothy vegetables when you want a certain creamy consistency (if turning on a large blender will completely stop the power, you absolutely should do that), But pureeing these vegetables in a powerful blender almost always results in a silkier, richer consistency. Overall, a quality blender like a Cuisinart or Vitamix will be an investment that pays off well.

What ingredient swaps do you need to know about for this recipe?

To make a vegetarian meal: You can omit the parm and add three tablespoons of nutritional yeast while mixing.

To be gluten-free: Swap the pasta for gluten-free pasta. (Taste Republic is my go-to brand.) Also, if you don’t have broccoli, substitute cauliflower, butternut squash, or even canned artichokes. I’m telling you, once you master the technique, you’ll want to turn every vegetable into sauce.

What advice do you have for people who want to incorporate more vegetarian recipes into their repertoire?

We naturally think of animal protein as the starting point for dinner—that is, I eat chicken, so maybe we’ll eat chicken. I always tell people who want to be more plant-based, what to think about first type Meals you want to eat. Tacos? Pizza? Soup? Huge salad? Once you start rewiring your brain to think this way, it’s easier to make decisions like, oh, I’ll have crispy cauliflower tacos, or corn and tomato pizza, or coconut corn tofu soup, or honey bibb salad – Harry Chickpeas and yogurt. all these are in Weekday Vegan: Made Simple.

What’s the best part about creating shared recipes for people to take home?

It’s funny because as much as I care about great food and hearing recipe success stories from readers never gets old, ever! I cooked thousands of dinners for my daughters before they left for college (18 years worth of dinners), yet when I think back on all of those meals, I don’t necessarily think about how I nailed perfection on grilled salmon of charcoal, or how I finally mastered making delicious tofu. The first thing I thought of was the nights we spent together. Even today, dinner feels like a gift I can give myself every day—whether it’s a family of four at the dinner table or just me and my Instagram feed.

Dinner is like a gift I can give myself every day.

Do you have a favorite recipe from the book?

• Summer Sicilian Eggplant Parm, fresh, non-sticky and loved by everyone.
• Mixed Mushroom Shepherd’s Pie is as perfect for Thanksgiving as it is for Tuesday night.
• Tomato and Blue Cheese Tomato Tart, because there really is no better example of low-effort high-reward cooking.
• Miso mushroom tacos with pickles were my daughter’s go-to dinner before late-night soccer practice throughout high school.
• Crispy Curried Cauliflower with Coconut and Raisins is great with a simple soup such as tomato soup.
• Brown buttery orzo with zucchini and basil.

There are many more! This is just a drop in the ocean.

“Everyday Vegan Made Easy” Copyright © 2024, Jenny Rosenstrach. Photos Copyright © 2024 by Christine Han. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Crown Publishing Group.

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