The pasta shells in this creamy broccoli pasta are covered in a buttery garlic parmesan sauce that also contains herbs and a lot of broccoli. For the perfect flavour that your family will adore, add a hint of lemon juice at the very end.
It doesn't get much better than salty pasta shells covered in a tasty cream sauce, in my opinion. When I serve this for dinner, I never have to stress about getting my family to eat their vegetables.
BONUS: You can prepare this one-pot supper in no more than 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- Mini Shells: Although I used mini shells, you may substitute any small-shaped pasta you choose, including gluten-free kinds.
- Broccoli: The best option is fresh broccoli, but if that's all you have on hand, frozen broccoli will work.
- Vegetable oil can be substituted if you'd rather, but I prefer to use extra virgin olive oil for the flavour boost.
- Butter: Unless a recipe specifies otherwise, always use unsalted butter while cooking. This will aid in limiting the amount of salt that is added.
- Onion:The most flavorful types of onion to use in pasta recipes are brown and yellow onions.
- Fresh garlic cloves should always be minced by hand. Garlic in a jar from the store will work, but occasionally it will taste bitter.
- Red pepper flakes — These are used to impart a little heat. You can, however, eliminate it or increase the amount you add.
- Salt is used to season the meal and the water used to boil the pasta.
- Black pepper - If you have freshly ground black pepper on hand, use that instead.
- Heavy cream, often known as whipping cream, adds richness and creaminess to the pasta.
- Use parmesan cheese to add cheese to the sauce and to finish the meal with.
How to make it
In a big skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Cook the garlic for a minute after adding it. Add the seasonings, half and half, and chicken broth. up to a boil.
Put the spaghetti in. Place the spaghetti in the liquid and let it to come back to a boil. Cook as directed on the packet, slightly covered. The broccoli will be added in the final five minutes of cooking. To keep the pasta from adhering to the bottom of the pot, occasionally run a silicone spatula down it.
Get rid of the heat. With a silicone spatula, gently fold in the Parmesan cheese after adding the lemon juice. After standing, the sauce will continue to thicken.
Pro tip
- To make a block of cheese that melts and tastes great, grate it. To keep it from clumping together, which also stops it from melting, packaged grated or shredded Parmesan cheese contains cellulose.
- Romano, Asiago, and Parmesan cheese blends are also delicious.
- Avoid mixing the cheese into a base that is too hot because this will cause the dairy to separate and the mixture to become gritty rather than smooth.
- You can use pastas of a comparable size; check the packaging for an approximate cooking time. Examples include Farfalle (bowtie) and Fusilli (spiral).
- Check out my spaghetti with chicken and broccoli recipe if you'd like to add chicken.
Storage
For up to 3 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer, store in an airtight container. When warmed, the dairy's consistency changes a little, but I love doing it in the microwave for a quick lunch!
Tools for this recipe
- Small measuring spoons are included, making it simple to portion out the herbs for this dish.
- Cheese can be easily shredded or grated with a box grater in a range of sizes. This grater makes it simple to grate the Parmesan cheese into a fine powder for this recipe.
- The ideal pan size for this dish is a 10-inch pan with a lid.
- For this recipe, I chose pasta shells from the Colavita brand since I liked the shape.
- Fresh garlic is significantly more delicious when minced for Garlic Twister. This twister completes the task quickly and is simple to store.
Why you love this recipie
- Quick and simple! Ideal for people who have a busy schedule! No special equipment or exotic ingredients are needed for this quick and easy meal, which can be prepared in just 30 minutes.
- Pasta with Cheesy Broccoli! This pasta recipe is a fantastic vegetarian option that is made with a lot of parmesan cheese and fresh broccoli florets.
- Adaptable Recipe! This vegetarian pasta recipe is simple to modify by including more vegetables or even a protein. This recipe pairs wonderfully with grilled chicken or prawns.
Broccoli Pasta
The pasta shells in this creamy broccoli pasta are covered in a buttery garlic parmesan sauce that also contains herbs and a lot of broccoli.
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Servings: 4
Calories: 495kcal
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 ¼ cups half and half
- ½ lb. medium pasta shells
- ¼ teaspoon EACH: onion powder, dried thyme, salt
- ½ teaspoon EACH: dried oregano, dried parsley
- 3 ½ cups broccoli florets, uncooked
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ¾ cup Parmesan Cheese, finely grated into a powder
Instructions
- Measure out all ingredients prior to beginning. (This is called “mise en place” and is a good idea for quick recipes.) Pro Tip: Cut the broccoli into smaller pieces so that they cook more quickly.
- Melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the chicken broth, half and half, and seasonings.
- Bring to a boil and add the pasta. Submerge the pasta into the liquid and let it return to a boil. Cook partially covered according to package instructions. Add the broccoli during the last 6 minutes. Run a silicone spatula along the bottom of the pan occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking to it.
- Remove cover taste-test a pasta noodle for doneness before proceeding. If needed, cover and cook longer, until your desired doneness is obtained.
- Remove from heat. Add the lemon juice and use a silicone spatula to gently mix in the Parmesan cheese.
- Sauce will continue to thicken upon standing. Garnish with parsley and serve with garlic bread with cheese.
Notes
Pro Tips
- Grate the cheese from a block so that it melts and tastes the best. Packaged grated or shredded Parmesan cheese contains cellulose to prevent it from clumping together, which also prevents it from melting as well.
- A combination of Parmesan, Asiago, and Romano cheese tastes great as well.
- Don't add the cheese to a super hot base as this will cause the dairy to separate and the consistency will be grainy instead of smooth.
- Similarly-sized pastas may be substituted, refer to package for approximate cooking time. Examples include Fusilli (spiral) and Farfalle (bowtie).
- If you prefer to add chicken: Be sure to check out my Chicken and Broccoli pasta recipe!
Nutrition
Calories: 495kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 866mg | Potassium: 363mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 783IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 335mg | Iron: 1mg
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