Broccoli Pasta
Easy to prepare, Broccoli Pasta brings together creamy pasta and tender-crisp broccoli. It’s an ideal choice for a quick, hearty dinner that’s both delicious and nutritious.
Broccoli Pasta
This is one of those versatile and comforting dishes that are perfect for various occasions. From family dinners to casual get-togethers, its simplicity and the wholesome combination of flavors have always made cooking for events a breeze!
Creamy broccoli pasta is a comforting dish made by mixing broccoli florets with pasta and tossing in a creamy, cheesy sauce.
The mix of hearty pasta with nutritious broccoli creates a meal that is both satisfying and light! It’s also notably easy to prepare, making it a favorite for busy schedules or for anyone who appreciates a quick yet healthy meal option.
Broccoli pasta is a delicious dish filled with a balance of simplicity, nutrition, and taste. It requires minimal effort but delivers maximum satisfaction, fitting seamlessly into any meal slot.
Why you will love this recipe
- Balanced meal: Offers a great balance of vegetables, carbs, and proteins, making it a well-rounded meal option.
- Perfect for leftovers: This dish reheats well, making it ideal for meal prep or enjoying leftovers the next day.
- Provides essential nutrients: It’s a great source of essential nutrients such as vitamin C, calcium, and iron.
- Easy to prepare: Straightforward, no-fuss preparation with simple cooking steps and easily available ingredients!
- Delicious and affordable: This dish has that restaurant-quality taste with ingredients that are affordable and available.
How to Make Perfect Creamy Broccoli Pasta
Prepare the vegetables. Remove the broccoli stem and chop the head into florets. Boil until tender, drain, and set it aside.
Sauté the onion. Cook the diced onion in olive oil until it becomes translucent. Add the minced garlic, then remove the pan from the heat once fragrant.
Create the sauce. In a separate bowl, mix together cream cheese, heavy cream, parmesan, ground pepper, and chopped walnuts. Then, fold in the cooked broccoli.
Combine and serve. Cook the pasta per the package instructions. Drain and mix with the broccoli sauce, then garnish with extra parmesan and pepper.
Pro Tips
- Aromatics need some care: Low-medium heat is best for onions — it prevents burning and helps to bring out their natural sweetness.
Garlic only needs about a minute once added to the pan, until fragrant. It’s best to transfer the pan off the heat as soon as that happens as overcooked garlic turns bitter. - Room temperature ingredients: Chilled ingredients like cream cheese and heavy cream mix into a smoother consistency when they start at room temperature.
- Al dente pasta: Since the noodles will continue to soften a bit when mixed with the broccoli sauce, it’s best to cook them just under. Al dente pasta is tender with just a hint of bite.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions for Broccoli Pasta
Short Dry Pasta: Short dry pasta like penne or fusilli is ideal for creamy broccoli pasta because it holds the sauce well. If it’s unavailable, other similar-sized pasta shapes like rotini or farfalle work too!
Walnuts: Walnuts add a crunchy texture and nutty flavor, but they can be substituted with chopped pecans or almonds for a similar richness.
Cloves: A suitable substitute for cloves in this recipe is allspice. Allspice has a similar warm, sweet, and slightly peppery flavor profile. Use it in a 1:1 ratio as a replacement.
Parmesan Cheese: Parmesan cheese adds a classic cheesy depth to pasta with broccoli. Grana Padano or Pecorino Romano can be excellent substitutes, offering a similar salty, nutty flavor profile.
Frequently Asked Questions about Pasta with Broccoli
What can I do if the sauce is too runny?
Most sauces will thicken naturally with a little extra simmering. Since pasta water contains starch, small amounts can be used as a thickener as well. I know adding liquid doesn’t really make sense, but I promise, it works!
What’s the best way to store and reheat broccoli pasta?
Leftovers should be kept in the refrigerator, ideally in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
Freezing this dish is possible, but the texture might change once thawed. Cream-based sauces can separate and become grainy after freezing.
Reheating is easy. I just leftovers back on the stove with a bit of water to remoisten the pasta as it warms.
Can I add protein to broccoli pasta?
Proteins such as grilled chicken, shrimp, or even tofu can elevate this dish, making it even more filling and nutritious!
Broccoli Pasta
Easy to prepare, broccoli pasta brings together creamy pasta and tender-crisp broccoli. It's an ideal choice for a quick, hearty dinner that's both delicious and nutritious.
Servings 4 Servings
Calories 843kcal
Ingredients
- 3 cup short dry pasta
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup cream cheese
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 clove garlic cloves
- 1 large onion
- 1 head broccoli
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper
- 1/2 cup walnuts
Instructions
- Remove the broccoli stem and chop its head into florets. Cook them in a steamer or into boiling water until your preferred tenderness. In my case, I cooked it in boiling water for four minutes. Drain water and set aside.
- Chop the onion into small pieces. Then heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a medium-sized pan and sauté onion until translucent, season with salt. Next, add minced garlic and sauté for one minute until fragrant.
- Remove from heat and add cream cheese, heavy cream, grated parmesan, ground pepper, and chopped walnuts. Stir to combine. Fold in cooked broccoli. Set aside.
- Once pasta is cooked, drain it and combine it with the prepared sauce. Note: you may need to re-heat the sauce before mixing it with the pasta.
- Serve warm with extra parmesan and ground pepper.
Notes
Tips
- Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for up to three days. Then, reheat them in a pan with a drizzle of oil or water to moisten the pasta.
Nutrition
Calories: 843kcal | Carbohydrates: 98g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 556mg | Potassium: 920mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1825IU | Vitamin C: 139mg | Calcium: 223mg | Iron: 3mg
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