Name: Broccoli–White Bean Pasta Salad
Total time: 45 min
Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients: 1 pound broccoli; ¾ teaspoon table salt, plus salt for cooking broccoli; 1 pound gemelli or rotini; 7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided; 3 cups fresh basil leaves; ¾ cup pine nuts or chopped cashews, toasted, divided; 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed; 10 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved

Why This Recipe Works

This hearty vegetarian dish is destined to become a weeknight favorite. We first blanch some broccoli—stalks and all—then puree a portion with lots of basil and pine nuts to create an aromatic, vibrant green sauce. We save the remaining broccoli to add some heft to the final salad, along with cannellini beans. Boiling the pasta in the leftover broccoli cooking water is a smart time-saving technique. A sprinkling of extra pine nuts adds texture, and cherry tomatoes bring a fresh, acidic pop.

Before You Begin

This salad is best served the day it is made; if it’s been refrigerated, bring it to room temperature before serving.

Instructions

Fill large bowl halfway with ice and water; set aside. Prepare 1 pound broccoli by cutting florets into 1-inch pieces and peeling and slicing stalks ¼ inch thick. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add 1 tablespoon table salt and broccoli stalks and cook for 1 minute. Add florets and cook until stalks and florets are tender, about 2 minutes longer. Using slotted spoon, remove broccoli and transfer to ice bath (do not discard boiling water). Let broccoli sit until chilled, about 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry with paper towels; set aside.

Add 1 pound gemelli to boiling water and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve ½ cup cooking water, then drain pasta. Toss pasta with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and spread in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, process 1 cup broccoli, 3 cups fresh basil leaves, ½ cup toasted pine nuts, and ¾ teaspoon salt in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add remaining 6 tablespoons oil and process until thoroughly combined.

Toss pasta with broccoli-basil sauce and reserved cooking water in large bowl until sauce evenly coats pasta. Stir in remaining broccoli, 1 rinsed can cannellini beans, and 10 halved ounces cherry tomatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup toasted pine nuts. Serve.