Recipe video above. This is a great emergency meal OR carb + veg side for all those times when your cupboards are bare except for broccoli, pasta, and some kind of cheese. It's saucy without using tons of oil, and there's loads of sub options. Quick and utterly scrumptious - loaded with tons of broccoli!
Prep Time5 minutesmins
Cook Time10 minutesmins
Total Time15 minutesmins
Course: Mains, Side
Cuisine: Western
Keyword: Broccoli pasta, broccoli recipes, quick pasta
Servings: 4
Calories: 634cal
Author: Nagi
Ingredients
350g / 12 oz dried short pasta(I used small shells)
2broccoli heads(BIG!)
1 cupshredded cheese (or more!)
Pasta Sauce (Notes for subs):
2tsplemon zest
2tbsplemon juice(or more!)
5tbspextra virgin olive oil
1/3cupparmesan, finely grated
2garlic cloves, minced
1tspmixed dried herbs(or fresh!)
1/2tsp+red pepper flakes(add more if you want spicy!)
Cook pasta: Boil a large pot of water with 2 tsp salt, add pasta.
While pasta is cooking:
Chop broccoli: Chop broccoli into small florets.
Cook broccoli: Add broccoli into water 1 - 2 minutes before pasta is cooked.
Sauce ingredients in jar: Place Sauce ingredients in a jar with lid.
Reserve pasta water: SCOOP OUT 1 cup pasta cooking water just before draining. Then drain and return pasta back into same pot on turned off stove.
Add pasta water into Sauce: Add 1/2 cup pasta water to Pasta Sauce jar, shake well.
Add Sauce & Cheese to pasta: Pour Sauce and add cheese into pot with pasta.
Stir then serve! Stir vigorously, adding more pasta water if required. Add more salt and pepper if required. Serve immediately, garnished with parmesan.
Notes
This recipe will serve 4 as a main or 6 to 8 as a side. To scale recipe, click Servings and slide.Recipe substitutions:
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)