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Menestra with broccoli, pasta and vegetables served in a rich sauce
Navarran vegetable medley cooked to perfection

Menestra with broccoli and pasta

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Vegetarian & Vegan Main Courses
The Navarran 'Menestra de verduras' is not a simple vegetable soup, but a technical masterpiece. The essence is that each vegetable retains its own character whilst being bound together by a silky, starch-thickened sauce (velouté style). This version enriched with pasta elevates the vegetables into a complete main course.
🕒 Prep Time 15 mins
🍳 Cook Time 25 mins
⌛ Total Time 40 mins
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 450 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Spanish (Navarra region)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Large pot
  • Colander
  • Bowl of iced water

Allergen Information

⚠️ Cereals containing gluten
⚠️ Milk

Instructions

1 ✓

Separate the broccoli into florets and blanch in salted boiling water for 3 minutes, then drain and plunge immediately into iced water.

Tip: Thermal shock stops cooking and fixes the chlorophyll, keeping the broccoli crisp and green.
2 ✓

Cook the pasta until 'al dente' (firm to the bite). Meanwhile, slice the carrots and chop the onion.

3 ✓

Sweat the onion and garlic in the oil until translucent, then add the carrots. Steam under a lid until tender.

4 ✓

Sprinkle the vegetables with the cornflour, fry for 1 minute, then pour in the stock and milk. Whisk until smooth and bring to a boil.

Tip: The starch swells (gelatinises) under heat and thickens the sauce.
5 ✓

Fold in the broccoli and pasta, and warm through for a few minutes.

Tip: Do not cook further, just heat it up so the broccoli doesn't lose its colour.

Recipe FAQ

Why did the broccoli turn grey?
Acids released during cooking destroyed the chlorophyll. The bright green colour can be preserved with shorter cooking time and immediate cooling (thermal shock).

Ingredients

  • 500 g Broccoli
  • 2 whole Carrots
  • 1 whole Onion
  • 2 cloves Garlic
  • 3 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1 tbsp Cornflour (or flour)
  • 100 ml Vegetable stock
  • 50 ml Milk (optional for creaminess)
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 0.5 tsp Pepper
  • 200 g Short pasta (e.g. penne)