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This Broccoli Pasta recipe couldn’t be more perfect! It’s a combination of your choice of pasta, some healthy broccoli, and a delicious creamy cheese sauce. This Cheese and Broccoli Pasta is perfect to make some for now and enjoy leftovers or to feed a whole family! And the best part is it’s ready in just 20 minutes!
Recipe Difficulty – Very Easy
Table of Contents
Why this recipe works
When it comes to pastas, my answer is always yes! Pastas are so quick and easy to make, yet always turn out so good! This cheesy broccoli pasta dish follows right in line! It is creamy and flavourful and perfect! It’s also so easy to adapt! If you know your family isn’t going to eat pasta with broccoli, trade out the broccoli for another great vegetable.
Ingredients to make Broccoli Pasta
- Pasta – Any type of pasta will do – fusilli, penne, farfalle, or another favourite. I personally use gluten-free pasta.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – cooks up the shallot and garlic.
- Shallot – has a mild flavour that works perfectly in this dish.
- Garlic Clove – is my go-to umami flavour.
- Head of Broccoli – makes for such a healthy vegetable that is delicious when paired with this sauce
- Parmesan Cheese – brings a perfect flavour to this pasta. I use dairy free cheese.
- Cream – I use dairy free cream as well, but dairy or not, it makes a creamy sauce that is to die for!
- Italian Dried Herbs – are the perfect combination of herbs for this pasta.
- Lemon Juice – is optional, but truly provides a bright flavour that pairs perfectly in this sauce.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions
- Seasonings – If you’d like to add salt or black pepper to taste or trade out the Italian herbs for another favourite combination, feel free!
- Vegetables – Truly, so many vegetables would work great in this dish! You could try peas, peppers, courgette, asparagus, tomatoes, etc.
- Fresh Broccoli – If you don’t have fresh broccoli, frozen broccoli would also work. Thaw it before use.
- Parmesan – Another great cheese would be pecorino romano cheese. You could even use nutritional yeast for the cheesy sauce to go with the pasta and broccoli.
Variations
- Spicy – Add in crushed red pepper flakes or chopped Calabrian chili for a heated dish.
- Deluxe – Top with some shredded parmesan, lemon zest, or bread crumbs to bring this dish up a notch.
- Kid friendly – Your kids are going to love this sauce and pasta the way it is. If broccoli is past their tolerance levels, you can remove it or sub it for a veg they’ll eat.
How to make Broccoli Pasta
Step 1: Start by cooking your pasta per the package directions in a pot of salted boiling water.
Step 2: While you let the pasta boil, prepare your veggies: cut the broccoli into small florets, chop the shallots, and finely chop the garlic.
Step 3: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot and garlic and cook, stirring for 5 minutes.
Step 4: When your pasta has two minutes left to cook, add broccoli florets to the pot with the pasta. Drain the pasta and broccoli, and reserve ¾ cup of the pasta cooking water.
Step 5: Add the reserved pasta water into the skillet with shallots and garlic. Add cream, Italian herbs, and parmesan. Cook for 2 minutes.
Step 6: Then, add the drained cooked pasta and broccoli and give it all a good stir until the pasta and broccoli are coated with the sauce and serve.
Hint: If you want your broccoli more tender, allow it to cook for a longer time.
Leftovers
Leftover pasta will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-5 days. Reheat in a pan or in the microwave and enjoy! You may need to add a splash of water or cream to loosen the sauce.
Recipe FAQs
Nope! That is one of the things I love about this recipe! You just pop the broccoli in with the pasta for the few minutes you need to cook it to your preferred texture!
My favourite is a creamy parmesan sauce with a hint of lemon. If that is not your jam, try a cheddar cheese sauce, marinara sauce, or a lemon-tahini sauce.
If you feel like you want a little more in your dish, you can try adding walnuts, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, or a protein like chicken.
More Broccoli recipes
- Broccoli Soup
- Salmon and Broccoli Pasta
- Air Fryer Tenderstem Broccoli
- Broccoli Stir Fry
- Air Fryer Broccoli
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Broccoli Pasta
Ingredients
- 350 g pasta, desired shape, I used gluten-free
- 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
- 1 shallot
- 1 large clove garlic
- 1 head broccoli
- ⅓ cup parmesan, I used dairy-free
- 125 ml cream, (½ cup) I used dairy-free
- 1 tsp Italian dried herbs
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, optional
Instructions
- Start by cooking your pasta in a pot of salted boiling water.
- While the pasta is cooking, prepare your veggies: cut the broccoli into small florets, chop the shallots, and finely chop the garlic.
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot and garlic and cook, stirring for 5 minutes.
- When your pasta has two minutes left to cook, add broccoli florets to the pot with the pasta. Drain the pasta and broccoli, and reserve ¾ cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Add the pasta cooking water into the skillet with shallots and garlic. Add cream, Italian herbs, and parmesan. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Then, add the drained pasta and broccoli and give it all a good stir until the pasta and broccoli are coated with the sauce and serve.
So easy for any last minute babysitting my grandson
Thank you 🙂