Broccoli Pasta
sandravalvassori.com
Broccoli Pasta is a recipe you’ll want to have on repeat. Just a handful of ingredients—broccoli, onion, garlic, olive oil, and Pecorino Romano—turn into a beautifully creamy pasta dish in only 30 minutes. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal, it’s an easy way to enjoy fresh, vibrant flavors with minimal effort.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil plus extra for drizzling
- 1 small yellow onion, diced (about 1/3 cup diced)
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large head head broccoli (about 1 pound/450g) cut into small florets and short stems coarsely chopped
- 1 pound (450/500g) dry pasta
- 1 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, or Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Start by placing a large pot of water over high heat. While you wait for the water to boil, add the olive oil to a large skillet set over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Lower heat to medium-low, add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until the garlic starts to soften and brown lightly, about 1 minute more, then remove pan from heat. TIP: If the garlic is burning, add a bit of the boiling water to the skillet.
- Once the pasta water comes to a rolling boil, add 2 tablespoons salt followed by the broccoli. Stirring occasionally, cook the broccoli for 5-6 minutes, or until it becomes very fork-tender and soft enough to smash.
- Using a slotted spoon, a hand strainer or spider, transfer the broccoli from the boiling water to the pan with the onion/garlic mixture (leave the water boiling for the pasta). Place the pan over a low heat and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Continue to gently cook the broccoli while you cook the pasta.
- Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes less than the package instructs.
- While the pasta cooks, start smashing the broccoli. Use a potato masher or a wooden spoon to smash the broccoli into very small pieces. You can leave a few pieces un-smashed if you prefer a little more texture. Taste and season with a pinch more salt and pepper, if needed, but bearing in mind you will be adding in salty cheese later. Keep the pan on the lowest heat setting, or shut the heat off if the broccoli is drying out too much.
- As soon as pasta is ready, set the pan with broccoli over medium-high heat. Use a slotted spoon, or tongs, to transfer pasta into the pan with the broccoli, along with 1/2 cup pasta water. Cook, tossing frequently, until pasta is well coated and perfectly al dente, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the cheese in a few increments along with another grind of black pepper and a generous swirl of olive oil. TIP: Add additional pasta water if the sauce seems a little dry.
- Serve immediately, passing around a little more cheese, if desired.
Notes
- Don't overcook the pasta. This is super important becasue the pasta will continue to cook for a few minutes when added to the skillet. Keep it very al dente so it retains a nice texture and doesn't get mushy.
- Add Cheese Gradually: Parmesan or Pecorino cheese complements the broccoli well. Add it gradually to avoid clumping, and save a bit for sprinkling on top.
- Be generous with the olive oil and cheese. A really delicious pasta con broccoli relies on a generous amount of olive oil and cheese so don't skimp on these.
- Try Different Pasta Shapes: Short pasta shapes like penne, orecchiette, or farfalle work well, as they hold the broccoli and sauce nicely.