This quick and easy Broccoli Pasta recipe is one in the category of quick and easy. Simple ingredients create delicious results. Perfect dinner for busy weekdays!
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Why This Recipe Works
This pasta dinner is made for busy days. When you are tired after a long day of work or running errands and need something delicious but simple on the table. The ingredients list is short, but the final result is flavorful. Exactly how I like my pasta!
I even used my kitchen trick: I added the broccoli to the pasta pot, during the last few minutes of cooking. It only takes a couple of minutes to cook it. It saves time and makes for less clean-up. No additional cooking pot is needed. This Broccoli Pasta is a hit with kids and adults!
Ingredients:
- pasta: I used a bow tie but any bite-size pasta works)
- broccoli: fresh or frozen)
- olive oil and butter: the best for sauteing veggies)
- onion and garlic: the aromatics needed for the base flavor
- seasoning: salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning
How to make broccoli pasta?
- Start by cooking your pasta in salted, boiling water. During the last 4 minutes of cooking, add broccoli florets.
- Remove broccoli once tender and bright green.
- Reserve 3/4 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- In a skillet, heat up oil and butter.
- Saute chopped onion and garlic until fragrant and translucent.
- Chop broccoli and add to onion.
- Season veggies with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning, then saute veggies for 2 minutes, stirring well.
- Add pasta, Parmesan, and half of the pasta water. Stir everything together. Add more pasta water if needed.
Best Tips!
- Add lemon zest to brighten the dish. Lemon and broccoli go perfectly together!
- For a little bit of kick, add some crushed red pepper flakes to this pasta dish. To activate them, saute them with onion and garlic.
- A generous topping of toasted breadcrumbs with Parmesan cheese will take it to a new level too! I used it on my ricotta pasta and always have them on hand.
- Don't forget to reserve the pasta water. Along with Parmesan, it is our sauce in this dish. No cream necessary! In fact, make it a habit to always reserve pasta water when making any pasta dish. It's perfect for making sauces!
- Add 1/4 cup of heavy cream along with pasta water to make a classic creamy sauce.
Storing and reheating leftovers:
I recommend storing any leftovers of this pasta in a container with a lid, in the fridge for up to 2 days. To reheat place the pasta in a skillet and add water. A generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese will help create the sauce again.
Recipe FAQs:
Absolutely! Add chicken or shrimp, beans (like chickpeas or great Northern white beans), or mushroom, for the umami flavor. Cook the meat first, remove it onto a plate and then saute veggies.
My go-to side dish for all pasta dinners is my focaccia bread! You can try the one-hour skillet focaccia recipe or the easy focaccia bread recipe made in a sheet pan.
Another delicious side is a salad. Go for the perfect Caesar salad or simple, Olive Garden-inspired salad with my copycat dressing.
Use any pasta you have on hand. Bite-size works best so penne, rigatoni, farfalle, even macaroni.
More pasta recipes:
If you like this recipe and make it, let me know in the comments below!
Don't forget to rate it if you enjoyed it!
Easy Broccoli Pasta
Ingredients
- 3 cups farfalle pasta
- ½ lb broccoli florets
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ medium yellow onion chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan or pasta pot, bring water to a boil. Add ½ teaspoon of salt and stir. Add pasta and cook until al dente. During the last 4 minutes of cooking pasta, add broccoli florets to the pot. Cook until broccoli is tender and bright green and pasta is al dente. Remove broccoli from pot and set on a cutting board. Reserve ¾ cup of pasta water, then drain pasta.
- In a skillet, heat up oil with butter. Add chopped onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic and saute together until the onion is translucent.
- Chop broccoli and add to onion. Stir together. Season with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add pasta, Parmesan cheese and half of the pasta water to skillet. Stir everything together, until the cheese melts and it creates a simple sauce with the pasta water. Add more water if needed.
- Serve with more Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley and/or crushed red pepper flakes and lemon zest.
Notes
- To add chicken to this dish, cook it in the skillet first, remove it onto a plate, then saute veggies.
- Any bite-size pasta works in this recipe.
- Store the leftovers of this pasta in a container with a lid, in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use a calorie counter you are familiar with.
Jen says
So yummy! An easy dinner that the kids love?! Win win!
Toni says
A new favorite for weeknights! Thanks for the recipe!
Allyssa says
Super helpful! Highly recommended! This tasted so amazing! Thanks a lot for sharing this super easy to make recipe! Fam really loves it! Will surely have this again!