Who knew you could make something so tasty with broccoli, pasta and not much else?? Broccoli pasta is a little bit lemony, a little bit cheesy and a whole lot of yum. Emergency quick dinner idea or a 2-in-1 veg and carb side dish, the broccoli is cooked with the pasta then stirred vigorously with sauce to make it juicy and saucy.
Add this to your arsenal of broccoli recipes – this one is a keeper!
Super QUICK broccoli pasta!
If you dream of 12 minute dinner magic, you’re going to love this broccoli recipe as much as I do. It’s for all those days when:
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you’re staring at broccoli with not much else in the pantry, wondering how on earth you’re going to transform that into a totally delicious meal;
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it’s a mad house and you just need to get dinner on the table, stat!
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you want to hide a LOT of broccoli in something that everyone will love. There’s 2 whole heads in this – but it definitely doesn’t seem like it!
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you’re after a quick side dish to serve with that charcoal chook you picked up enroute home, the sticky chicken thighs or crispy pan fried fish you’re making, those marinated pork chops or the garlic butter mushrooms you’re roasting in the oven.
It’s also what you make when you’re a food blogger who can’t resist a bargain and “accidentally” brought home SIX heads of broccoli…..
What you need
The basic ingredients you need for this broccoli pasta are:
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broccoli – TWO BIG HEADS!
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some kind of pasta – preferably short, but even long will work
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some kind of cheese – either parmesan or something that can melt into the sauce (both is the best case scenario)
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some kind of fat – preferably extra virgin olive oil, otherwise normal olive oil or butter
So even if you have just the above 4 ingredients, your broccoli pasta is still going to be very tasty – everything else I use is a flavour bonus!
I love using lemon in this recipe – but it’s optional. It’s not a strong tangy lemon flavour, it’s in the background and helps create more sauce to toss through the pasta without adding tons of oil.
12 minute broccoli recipe!
This is not a Jamie Oliver 15 Minute Meals type recipe where you use every appliance, pot and pan in your kitchen and it’s a whirlwind of frantic chaos for 15 30 minutes then you spend a good 40 minutes cleaning up afterwards.
No no no! This is a totally effortless 12 minute recipe with a great flow to it:
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While the pasta is cooking, chop the broccoli and make the simple lemony pasta sauce
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Toss the broccoli in with the pasta
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Scoop out some pasta cooking water <– KEY STEP! This is how we make plenty of sauce without using tons of oil!
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Toss the pasta, sauce, water and cheese until it’s nice and juicy. Then DEVOUR!!
I always struggle to capture how juicy pastas like this are – when the sauce is clear rather than bright red and meaty like Bolognese. If you’re not convinced with the photos, watch the quick recipe video below!
I haven’t loaded this Broccoli Pasta with tons of cheese. I use it more to create the sauce, rather than making this a really cheesy pasta. Also an attempt to keep the calorie count to a respectable level for a big bowl.
However, this Cheese-Loving Carb Monster will certainly not judge if you choose to be (way) more generous with the cheese.
Go on, do it, do it, do it! *she whispers cheekily in your ear* 😂 ~ Nagi x
More broccoli recipes
I’m a big fan of broccoli so I’ve shared quite a few recipes. Love the flavour, how versatile it is and it’s good for you!
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Chicken broccoli rice casserole – tastes like a cheesy risotto, but so much easier to make!
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Broccoli gratin – creamy yet no cream with a golden crunchy top
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Browse all Broccoli recipes
Watch how to make it
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Really Quick Broccoli Pasta
Ingredients
- 350g / 12 oz dried short pasta (I used small shells)
- 2 broccoli heads (BIG!)
- 1 cup (100g) shredded cheese (or more!)
Pasta Sauce (Notes for subs):
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (or more!)
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup (30g) parmesan, finely grated
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 tsp mixed dried herbs (or fresh!)
- 1/2 tsp+ red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp sugar
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Serving:
- More parmesan
Instructions
- Boil a large pot of water with 2 tsp salt, add pasta.
While pasta is cooking:
- Chop broccoli into small florets.
- Place Sauce ingredients in a jar with lid.
- Add broccoli into water 1 - 2 minutes before pasta is cooked.
- SCOOP OUT 1 cup pasta cooking water.
- Add 1/2 cup pasta water to Pasta Sauce jar, shake.
- Drain pasta and broccoli, put back into same pot on turned off stove.
- Pour over Sauce, add cheese.
- Stir vigorously, adding more pasta water if required. Add more salt and pepper if required. Serve immediately, garnished with parmesan.
Recipe Notes:
- Pasta - any short pasta is fine here, macaroni/elbow, twirls, penne, ziti, orecchiette etc.
- Broccoli - this dish can take loads of broccoli, and still worth making even if you're a bit short (or scale recipe down - click on servings and slide).
- Cheese - any melting cheese fine here, preferably flavoured like cheddar, Monterey Jack, tasty, gruyere, Swiss. Mozzarella also fine but you'll probably need more salt.
- Parmesan - store bought pre grated fine in this recipe. OK if you don't have (as long as you have shredded cheese!)
- Lemon - not intended to be a full on lemon pasta, but the subtle tang and hint of lemon is terrific. Feel free to jack up the lemon flavour. Subs: 1.5 tbsp more oil or a mild vinegar like white wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, even rice wine.
- Garlic - could stir through green onions instead, or add 1/2 tsp garlic or onion powder into Sauce. OR finely grate any onion and add 2 tbsp it into dressing (juices and all).
- Herbs - mixed herbs includes a bit of rosemary, thyme, parsley, oregano, dried basil. Feel free to use any you want, skip it, OR use fresh herbs
- 1/2 cup sliced fresh basil right at the end would be amazing
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup chives, parsley
- 2 tbsp oregano
- Red pepper flakes - for touch of heat, totally optional
- Sugar - totally optional (takes edge off the sour)
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Dozer on the RIGHT side of the counter at Pet-O today! I swear that place is Disney Land for dogs. He gets lavished with attention by everyone who works there, sooo many treats, then he runs around like a loon in the warehouse, grabbing toys and treats off the shelves, leaving me with no option other than to buy them.
I grumble and complain every time I spend way more than intended, and yet the thought of leaving him behind never crosses my mind (and the one time I had to, the staff were very concerned about his well being!).
I would like to make the all recipe in the oven, can you help me with the water ratio? Thank you very much!
Hi Elizabeth, this ones suited to stove top sorry! N x
I just came to the site because it’s 5 PM and I haven’t even thought about dinner yet and here is this recipe – dinner sorted! And this made me realise something important. For the past 6 months or so since I found recipetineats, I have rarely gone to any other website (apart from your mum’s LOL) No matter what I’m looking for, which ingredients I plug in because I have them here or what type of cuisine I want to try, you have it on your site and it works! EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. You are amazing – thank you so much for all of the variety and great meals throughout this difficult lockdown period.
Delicious. Even though the sauce exploded a bit when I shook it up. (Tupperware shaker and the lid popped off with the hot water). But so good. A keeper.
Hello! I am curious what kind of cheese you added in at the end? What would be some good types?
Hi Lisa, I mention this in the recipe notes 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi!!
Might be an annoying question I’m so sorry… but I was wondering if gluten-free pasta alternatives release enough starch while they boil to make the creamy sauces traditionally made with pasta? Can I add some sort of starch to make up for the lack of starch in the boiled water?
Hi Andrea, I honestly am not sure as I haven’t tried, but I’d love to know if you give it a go!! N x
This afternoon over here in New Zealand in this very cold winters day I tried your blueberry muffin receipe as we had our grandchildren coming over after school. The muffins turned out perfect. Thanks so much for sharing your receipts and your tips on not over mixing etc.
The funniest parts of all the videos is when Nagi waves her magic knife wand over the full veg and next frame they’re perfectly chopped. Love those bits, makes me laugh every time!
If only it were that easy Christopher 😂 N x
made this for lunch today, followed the recipe but didn’t have enough broccoli so used some frozen spinach as well and also added a few anchovies and dried tomatoes into the sauce. for herbs we used fresh chives. Sooooo yummy! And heaps of leftovers. Will defo make it again. thanks heaps for this recipe xx
Followed exactly except used half a leftover avocado instead of the melting cheese blended into the sauce. Soaked into the broccoli in the yummiest way!
Delicious! Such a light fresh supper. Added a bit of poached chicken
Really enjoyed the dish! So easy and flavours were perfect!
Im in love with this. Easy. I used tortellini and added ham😶. Flavour overload as usual. Just the way I like it.
How good is it Del – and yes so versatile!! N x
This dish and especially the super-quick sauce is pure genius! Such a mid-week marvel!
Quick and delicious! Yum! Made the lemony sauce with 3 TBS evoo and 2 TBS citrus habanero oil. Awesome <3 Also added 1 pound of cooked shrimp which made a total meal. Keep 'em coming Nagi!!
Nice recipe 🙂 I will use it for sure 🙂 I have my own broccoli fast recipe with onion, brocoli cream and blue cheese. It is also so fast as this one. I love such recipes 🙂
would love to get Karens recipe too!!!!