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Perfectly sautéed broccoli and mini shells are tossed together in a rich parmesan cheese sauce to make this yummy Creamy Broccoli Pasta! It’s a quick and easy family favorite that comes together in just under 30 minutes!
Creamy Broccoli Pasta Recipe
If you like Alfredo and broccoli seasoned with garlic then you are going to love this creamy broccoli pasta recipe! It’s basically all the best parts of a cheesy pasta Alfredo combined together with all the flavors of a dish like my Roasted Broccoli. Yet, in this case, the broccoli is sautéed in the same pan that the sauce is made, which makes this dish super easy to make and even tastier.
And even better, this recipe is a fantastic vegetarian meal option. So if you’re trying to eat a little more meat-free this pasta recipe is a great choice. It’s so delicious that your family won’t even miss the meat. The cheesy sauce and perfectly seasoned broccoli make the dish on their own. However, if you want to add some protein, go for it! It’s easy to do and my Lemon Pepper Chicken is amazing when paired with this pasta.
Why You’ll Love This Creamy Broccoli Pasta
- Quick And Easy! Perfect for those with a busy schedule! This simple recipe comes together in just 30 minutes and requires no fancy ingredients or special skills.
- Cheesy Broccoli Pasta! Made with plenty of parmesan cheese and fresh broccoli florets, this pasta dish is a vegetarian meal option that is both filling and delicious.
- Versatile Recipe! You can easily customize this vegetarian pasta recipe by adding different vegetables or even a protein. Grilled chicken or shrimp is wonderful with this dish.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Mini Shells – I used mini shells, but you can use any type of small-shaped pasta you like including gluten-free pasta varieties.
- Broccoli – Fresh broccoli is the best option, but frozen will work if that is all you’ve got on hand.
- Olive Oil – I use extra virgin olive oil for the added flavor but vegetable oil can be used if you prefer.
- Butter – Always use unsalted butter in cooking unless a recipe states otherwise. This is to help control the amount of added salt.
- Onion – Brown and yellow onion will add the most flavor in pasta recipes.
- Garlic – You should always mince your own fresh garlic cloves. Store-bought jarred garlic will work but it can sometimes have a bitter taste.
- Italian Seasoning – This mix of dried herbs is typically a blend of basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram. If you don’t have any Italian seasoning, you can just use a combination of whatever you have on hand.
- Red Pepper Flakes – Used to add a bit of spice. However, you can omit this ingredient or add even more.
- Salt – Used to season the pasta cooking water and the dish.
- Black Pepper – Use fresh ground black pepper if you have it on hand.
- Heavy Cream – Also called whipping cream, makes the pasta rich and creamy.
- Parmesan Cheese – Use to make the sauce cheesy and garnish the dish at the end.
This recipe takes very little effort! All you have to do is saute some broccoli and make a 5-minute creamy parmesan sauce while the pasta is cooking. Just follow these easy steps and you’ll have dinner on the table in just about 30 minutes!
Cook The Pasta
To begin, you first need to cook the shells. So bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil. Now, add the pasta and cook it according to the package instructions until al dente. Then when it’s done, reserve one cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta. Now, set the water and pasta aside for a later step.
Sauté The Onion And Garlic
You can begin this step while the shells are cooking. First, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Then once the butter has melted add the onion and cook it for about 3 minutes until it’s soft and translucent. Now, add the minced garlic and cook it for just 30 seconds until it’s aromatic.
Sauté The Broccoli
Next, you’ll need to cook the broccoli before you can make the sauce. Add the florets to the skillet along with the Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Then stir everything together and cook the broccoli for 5 minutes or until it softens up a bit.
Finish The Dish
After the broccoli is cooked, pour the heavy cream into the skillet along with 1⁄2 cup of the reserved pasta water. Then bring the mixture to a boil. Now, turn the heat down to a simmer and let it cook for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Finally, add the parmesan cheese and cooked shells to the broccoli mixture and toss everything together. Then cook for one more minute to meld all the flavors.
Garnish And Serve
Once the shells are fully coated in sauce and the dish is complete, transfer the creamy broccoli pasta to your serving dish of choice. Then garnish it with some more freshly grated parmesan cheese and serve with some of my yummy Garlic Bread if you like.
What Can I Use Instead Of Cream For Creamy Pasta?
Heavy cream is always the best choice. However, you can use half and half instead. Yet, it won’t thicken up as much. The other option is to use regular milk or even dairy-free milk and then thicken it with flour or cornstarch. That being said, you’ll need to whisk the flour or cornstarch together with the milk before you add it to the sauce.
Why Is My Pasta Dry?
If you have too much pasta and not enough sauce the dish will be dry. You can fix this by mixing in a little more reserved pasta water or heavy cream to add some moisture. I also suggest that you only add about 80% of the pasta to the broccoli mixture at first. Then add more if you’ve got enough sauce.
Expert Tips
- Salt your pasta water. Add a big tablespoon of salt to the pasta cooking water. This helps to infuse the shells with flavor as they absorb some of the water as they cook.
- Cook to al dente. The pasta needs to be tender but still firm to the bite. If you overcook the shells they will get mushy when you toss them together with the broccoli and sauce.
- Don’t burn the garlic. Once the minced garlic is added to the skillet it only needs to cook for about 30 seconds before moving on to the next step. If it sticks to the pan or burns it will make the dish bitter.
Storage
Creamy broccoli pasta leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. To reheat, just sprinkle it with a bit of water or milk to loosen it up a bit. Then put it in the microwave for a few minutes on medium power or reheat it on the stove over medium-low heat.
Other Delicious Pasta Recipes To Try
- Creamy Garlic Butter Spaghetti
- Pasta Alla Norma
- Greek Chicken Pasta
- One Pot Creamy Parmesan Pasta
- Chili Mac And Cheese
- Cheesesteak Pasta
Creamy Broccoli Pasta
Ingredients
- 12 ounces mini shells or any small shaped pasta
- 1 head broccoli cut into small florets
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- In a large skillet add the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Once the butter has melted add the onion and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until aromatic.
- Add the broccoli florets to the skillet, along with the Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes until the broccoli softens.
- Add the heavy cream and ½ cup of the reserved pasta water to the skillet. Bring to a boil then simmer for another 5 minutes until sauce thickens. Add the Parmesan cheese and cooked shells. Toss everything together. Cook for another minute.
- Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese and serve.
Tips & Notes:
- Salt your pasta water. Add a big tablespoon of salt to the pasta cooking water. This helps to infuse the shells with flavor as they absorb some of the water as they cook.
- Cook to al dente. The pasta needs to be tender but still firm to the bite. If you overcook the shells they will get mushy when you toss them together with the broccoli and sauce.
- Don’t burn the garlic. Once the minced garlic is added to the skillet it only needs to cook for about 30 seconds before moving on to the next step. If it sticks to the pan or burns it will make the dish bitter.
- Creamy broccoli pasta leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. To reheat, just sprinkle it with a bit of water or milk to loosen it up a bit. Then put it in the microwave for a few minutes on medium power or reheat it on the stove over medium-low heat.
