Description
Broccoli Pasta is a quick and easy 30-minute dinner made with fresh broccoli, garlic, olive oil, Parmesan, and pasta water mashed into a creamy green sauce. Simple ingredients, big flavor, and endlessly customizable.
Ingredients
Broccoli
- 1 head broccoli, large, cut into small florets
Olive Oil Mixture
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste
Pasta
- 12 ounces pasta, such as penne
Additional
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Instructions
- Cook Broccoli: Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the broccoli and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer cooked broccoli to a bowl. Reserve ½ cup of broccoli water.
- Prepare Olive Oil Mixture: Add the olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, cooked broccoli, and the reserved broccoli water to the skillet. Cook for 10 minutes until you can easily mash the broccoli with a spoon.
- Cook Pasta: In the same pot with broccoli water, add the pasta and cook until al dente.
- Combine and Serve: Drain the pasta and add to the skillet with the broccoli mash along with the Parmesan cheese. Stir everything together and add more pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Taste for seasoning, adjust with salt and pepper as needed, and serve garnished with additional Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Broccoli: Fresh gives the best color and flavor. Frozen works too, just expect a softer sauce.
- Salt the water: Season the broccoli and pasta water generously to build flavor from the start.
- Save some water: Use the reserved broccoli and pasta water to thin the sauce or reheat leftovers.
- Pasta choice: Short pasta like orecchiette or penne holds the sauce well.
- Parmesan: Grate it fresh so it melts smoothly into the sauce. Pre-grated cheese will not give the same result.
- Add protein: This pasta is vegetarian as is but works well with grilled chicken, shrimp.
- Storage: Keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water or broth.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 531 kcal
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 458mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 75g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 17mg
