Description
A creamy and cheesy broccoli pasta made with tender broccoli florets, garlic sautéed in olive oil, and finished with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. This simple yet flavorful dish is garnished with pangrattato, extra parmesan, and red pepper flakes for an added crunch and spice.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Vegetables
- 180 grams pasta (orecchiette)
- 300 grams broccoli
Sauce and Seasoning
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 40 grams freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (parmesan cheese)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Garnish (optional)
- Pangrattato
- Extra parmesan cheese
- Red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Prepare broccoli: Dice the broccoli into small florets and cut the stems into small cubes. Boil the broccoli florets and stems in a large pot of salted water for 8 minutes until fork tender.
- Sauté garlic: While the broccoli boils, dice the garlic cloves into small cubes and sauté them in a large pan or skillet with olive oil over low heat until fragrant.
- Add broccoli to pan: Drain the broccoli and add it to the pan with the garlic along with a ladle of the broccoli cooking water. Stir to combine.
- Cook pasta: Cook the pasta in the same boiling water used for broccoli, until just a few minutes shy of the package’s recommended cooking time. Drain the pasta, reserving some pasta cooking water.
- Combine pasta and broccoli: Add the drained pasta to the pan with the broccoli and garlic mixture.
- Create creamy sauce: Add the freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and a ladle of reserved pasta water to the pan. Stir over medium heat for a few minutes. Add more pasta water as needed to finish cooking the pasta to al dente and to create a creamy sauce.
- Serve and garnish: Plate the pasta and garnish with pangrattato, extra parmesan cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, and red pepper flakes if using. Serve immediately and enjoy your creamy cheesy broccoli pasta!
Notes
- Be sure to save some pasta cooking water to help create a creamy sauce consistency.
- Use orecchiette or a similar pasta shape that holds sauce well.
- Pangrattato adds a crunchy texture but can be omitted for a softer dish.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste, especially considering the saltiness of the parmesan cheese.
- For a vegan option, substitute the cheese with nutritional yeast or a vegan parmesan alternative.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
