Begin by prepping your ingredients. Cut the stem away from the broccoli and break the florets into bite-sized pieces. Don’t forget to peel the tough outer layer of the stems to reveal the tender inner stalk. Chop the stems and keep them separate from the florets.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and pour in one tablespoon of olive oil. Swirl it around the pan, getting it nicely coated.
Add the chopped broccoli stems to the pan and season them generously with sea salt and ground black pepper. Sauté until they turn bright green, which should take about five minutes.
Next, pour in a splash of water and cover the pan with a lid. Let it cook until the stems are tender, about three more minutes. Transfer the sautéed stems to an upright blender.
Return the sauté pan to the stovetop and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Then, toss in the shallot and sauté until it’s soft, around two to three minutes.
Add the broccoli florets to the pan and season them with salt and pepper. Stir in the minced garlic and chili flakes, cooking until fragrant, which takes about thirty seconds.
Pour in a generous splash of water and cover it with a lid. Cook until the florets are just starting to get tender, approximately six minutes. Turn off the heat.
Carefully transfer half of the sautéed broccoli mixture into the blender with the sautéed stems. Keep the remaining sautéed broccoli in the pan.
To the blender, add the soaked cashews, nutritional yeast, miso, lemon zest, lemon juice, basil, and three-quarters of a cup of water. Season with salt and pepper before blending until completely smooth.
Pour this creamy sauce back into the sauté pan with the remaining sautéed broccoli. Give it a good stir to combine.
While preparing the sauce, cook your chosen short pasta according to package directions in well-salted water. Before draining, reserve about one cup of the pasta cooking water.
Once the pasta is drained, add it to the sauté pan with the sauce and the reserved sautéed broccoli mixture. Mix everything together until well combined, adding reserved pasta water until you reach a creamy and fluid consistency.
Serve immediately, garnishing with extra basil, drizzles of chili-infused olive oil, and a sprinkle of black pepper on top.
