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Home > Pasta > 20 Minutes Broccoli Pasta

Home > Pasta > 20 Minutes Broccoli Pasta

20 Minutes Broccoli Pasta

Last updated March 1, 2021. Originally posted February 24, 2021 By Jyothi Rajesh Leave a Comment

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broccoli pasta served in ceramic bowl with text overlay

Looking for quick dinner recipe? Here’s 20 minutes broccoli pasta that you family will love. This easy to make super tasty pasta fix is perfect for busy weekdays.

broccoli fusilli pasta served in ceramic bowl with lemon on side
Jump to:
  • Why You Need Broccoli Pasta Recipe in Your Life
  • What You’ll Need
  • How To Make Broccoli Pasta
  • Helpful Tips
  • Frequently asked questions
  • 20 Minutes Broccoli Pasta


Why You Need Broccoli Pasta Recipe in Your Life


Here’s where I try to sell the recipe to convince you to try it! Read it on or not, but definitely try the recipe! Haha
1.       Busy weekdays calls for easy dinner ideas! This broccoli pasta is your quick pasta fix emergency dinner that takes 20 minutes with multitasking.
2.       You got your veggies, you got your carbs! To me that is ‘balanced diet’!
3.       Did you try other pasta recipes and found it to be bland?! I did too and yes it was bland for me. This broccoli pasta recipe isn’t bland! I wanted to fix the problem so experimented with lots of flavoring agents and finally I personally think this pasta dish is what you need if you want to oomph up the flavors in broccoli pasta
4.       Finally, to make this dish you need basic everyday ingredients and 20 minutes on your clock to get dinner to the table!
 
Did I convince you enough now? Now go try this dish.

What You’ll Need

  • 12 oz. pasta
  • 2 heads broccoli (about 4 cups)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoon red chili flakes (adjust quantity according to your heat tolerance level)
  • 2 teaspoon mixed herbs
  • 2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup cream
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup cheese that melts (cheddar, mozzarella)
  • mineral salt & fresh cracked pepper, to taste
all ingredients to make broccoli pasta recipe

How To Make Broccoli Pasta

This recipe is super simple and easy to make. With multitasking you have dinner ready in 20 minutes or less. Here’s how you make broccoli pasta with multitasking.

  • Have two pots on stove. One large pot with enough water to cook pasta and second pot a steamer with little water. Bring water to boil on both pots on high heat.
  • Salt boiling water in pasta, throw in pasta to cook in boiling water as per packed instructions.
  • TIP: always remove pasta 2-3 minutes before the mentioned time in your packet. Cook pasta al-dente always. Pasta continues to cook afterwards plus we will be stirring it in sauce.
  • While pasta cooks, quickly chop broccoli head. Cut broccoli into small bite size florets so it’s easy to eat.
  • Make the pasta dressing by adding olive oil, little salt and cracked pepper, dried herbs, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest and lemon juice to a jar with lid. Cover lid, shake vigorously.
  • Steam broccoli florets for 2-3 minutes. Remove broccoli from steamer before it get cooked through. Alternatively you can also blanch broccoli in boiling water.
  • Pro-Tip: reserve about 1 cup of pasta water. This water will be added in the end, it brings the dish together making it creamy.
  • Drain al-dente pasta, keep aside.
step by step picture collage on how to make broccoli pasta
  • Melt butter in a large pot.
  • Saute minced garlic for 2 minutes with constant stirring.
  • Add onion powder, red chili flakes, salt and ground pepper to taste, stir well.
  • Add the cream along with ¼ cup of pasta water reserved. Stir everything together. Do not boil the cream mix, cook until just heated.
  • Turn off heat.
  • While sauce is still hot, add cooked pasta steamed broccoli, pasta dressing and grated cheese.
  • Stir everything together.
  • Add pasta water as needed to bring the dish together.
  • Note: looking at the photo it’s hard to believe this dish is creamy and cheesy! Trust me, it’s creamy. You won’t be disappointed. I took for every to shoot the pics one after another. And the sauce kept drying. Too much distraction from the family.
  • Serve immediately.
step by step picture collage on how to make broccoli pasta

Helpful Tips

  1. Chop broccoli into small pieces so it cooks fast and easy to eat.
  2. Adjust red pepper flakes quantity according to your heat tolerance levels.
  3. A combination of Parmesan cheese (freshly grated) and cheddar -mozzarella cheese (freshly grated from the block) tastes great. Parmesan cheese adds umami savory flavor and mozzarella-cheddar cheese that melts well adds rich taste to broccoli pasta dish. You can use any cheese that melts well – white cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss cheese, Monterey Jack will work.
  4. Pasta dressing does not overpower the dish with lemony-tang flavor. It’s not like the regular lemon broccoli pasta, dressing adds subtle tang to the dish which is amazing.
broccoli fusilli pasta cooked in large pot

Frequently asked questions

How To Cook Broccoli For Pasta?

You can steam broccoli florets, blanch in boiling water or roast it in oven. You want to briefly cook broccoli to help keep broccoli crispier. Do not overcook broccoli.
Steam – you’ll need not more than 3 minutes to steam broccoli in a steamer.
Blanch – add small broccoli florets to boiling water and blanch briefly for 2 minutes.
Roast in oven – roast in pre-heated oven at 400°F for 20 minutes or until it begins to brown.

Can I Use Frozen Broccoli?

Yes you can. Thaw first, drain excess water then use.

Can I Use Other Types Of Pasta?

Yes you can use any type of pasta you have on hand. Short pasta like penne, rotini, macaroni (or elbow pasta), ziti will work.

Can I Freeze Broccoli Pasta?

Consistency of diary (heavy cream) is slightly altered when you freeze and reheat. Having said that yes, you can freeze. Hold the cheese to the added to the recipe if you freezing. Cook everything else according to the recipe, stir everything together (except cheese) and freeze.
To reheat frozen pasta, thaw in refrigerator first then reheat in microwave.
 
I prefer to store broccoli pasta refrigerator. It stays good for 3 days.

broccoli fusilli pasta served in ceramic bowl with lemon on side

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broccoli fusilli pasta served in two ceramic bowl with lemon on side
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20 Minutes Broccoli Pasta

Jyothi Rajesh
Looking for quick dinner recipe? Here’s 20 minutes broccoli pasta recipe that you family will love. This easy to make super tasty pasta fix is perfect for busy weekdays.
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Course Main, Sides
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 944

Ingredients
  

  • 12 oz. pasta
  • 2 heads broccoli about 4 cups
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoon red chili flakes adjust quantity according to your heat tolerance level
  • 2 teaspoon mixed herbs
  • 2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup cream
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup cheese that melts cheddar, mozzarella

Instructions
 

  • Have two pots on stove. One large pot with enough water to cook pasta and second pot a steamer with little water. Bring water to boil on both pots on high heat.
  • Salt boiling water in pasta, throw in pasta to cook in boiling water as per packed instructions.
    TIP: always remove pasta 2-3 minutes before the mentioned time in your packet. Cook pasta al-dente always. Pasta continues to cook afterwards plus we will be stirring it in sauce.
  • While pasta cooks, quickly chop broccoli head. Cut broccoli into small bite size florets so it’s easy to eat.
  • Make the pasta dressing by adding olive oil, little salt and cracked pepper, dried herbs, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest and lemon juice to a jar with lid. Cover lid, shake vigorously.
  • Steam broccoli florets for 2-3 minutes. Remove broccoli from steamer before it get cooked through. Alternatively you can also blanch broccoli in boiling water.
    Pro-Tip: reserve about 1 cup of pasta water. This water will be added in the end, it brings the dish together making it creamy.
  • Drain al-dente pasta, keep aside.
  • Melt butter in a large pot.
  • Saute minced garlic for 2 minutes with constant stirring.
  • Add onion powder, red chili flakes, salt and ground pepper to taste, stir well.
  • Add the cream along with ¼ cup of pasta water reserved. Stir everything together. Do not boil the cream mix, cook until just heated.
  • Turn off heat.
  • While sauce is still hot, add cooked pasta steamed broccoli, pasta dressing and grated cheese.
  • Stir everything together.
  • Add pasta water as needed to bring the dish together.
  • Note: looking at the photo it’s hard to believe this dish is creamy and cheesy! Trust me, it’s creamy. You won’t be disappointed. I took for every to shoot the pics one after another. And the sauce kept drying. Too much distraction from the family.
  • Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

  1. Chop broccoli into small pieces so it cooks fast and easy to eat.
  2. Adjust red pepper flakes quantity according to your heat tolerance levels.
  3. A combination of Parmesan cheese (freshly grated) and cheddar -mozzarella cheese (freshly grated from the block) tastes great. Parmesan cheese adds umami savory flavor and mozzarella-cheddar cheese that melts well adds rich taste to broccoli pasta dish. You can use any cheese that melts well – white cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss cheese, Monterey Jack will work.
  4. Pasta dressing does not overpower the dish with lemony-tang flavor. It’s not like the regular lemon broccoli pasta, dressing adds subtle tang to the dish which is amazing.
Nutritional Info – Please keep in mind that nutritional information provided is only a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

Nutrition

Calories: 944kcalCarbohydrates: 89gProtein: 33gFat: 53gSaturated Fat: 27gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 135mgSodium: 572mgPotassium: 1291mgFiber: 11gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 3626IUVitamin C: 277mgCalcium: 569mgIron: 4mg
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Jyothi - Author of Curry Trail.

Welcome, I'm Jyothi

My food philosophy is simple, fresh and full of flavors! I love ‘spicy’ food. In fact so much so that I can skip dessert for extra spicy savory food!

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