Description
A simple and delicious broccoli pasta recipe featuring tender broccoli florets mashed into a flavorful sauce with garlic, red pepper flakes, and Parmesan cheese. This easy-to-make dish combines pasta with a creamy yet healthy broccoli-based sauce, perfect for a quick vegetarian meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 head broccoli (large, cut into small florets)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (extra virgin)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 12 ounces pasta (such as penne)
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
Instructions
- Cook Broccoli: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and cook for 5 minutes until tender. Transfer the cooked broccoli to a bowl, reserving ½ cup of the broccoli cooking water for later use.
- Sauté and Mash: In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir briefly until fragrant, then add the cooked broccoli and reserved broccoli water. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli softens enough to be mashed easily with a spoon, forming a sauce.
- Cook Pasta: In the same pot used for boiling broccoli water, add the pasta and cook until al dente according to package instructions.
- Combine and Toss: Drain the pasta and add it directly to the skillet with the mashed broccoli sauce. Add the freshly grated Parmesan cheese and stir everything together until well combined. Add more pasta water if the sauce is too thick to achieve desired consistency.
- Season and Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve garnished with extra Parmesan cheese for added flavor.
Notes
- Broccoli: Fresh broccoli gives the best color and flavor. Frozen broccoli can be used but will result in a softer sauce.
- Salt the water generously to enhance the flavor of both broccoli and pasta from the start.
- Reserve some cooking water from broccoli and pasta to thin the sauce or reheat leftovers effectively.
- Short pasta shapes like penne or orecchiette hold the sauce better and work best in this recipe.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese to ensure it melts smoothly into the sauce; pre-grated cheese may affect texture.
- For added protein, serve with grilled chicken, shrimp, or crispy bacon as this is a vegetarian dish but flexible for other preferences.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water or broth to restore sauce consistency.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
