Cheesy and Creamy Broccoli Pasta Recipe
A rich and comforting Cheesy and Creamy Broccoli Pasta that combines tender broccoli and garlic sautéed in butter and olive oil with a luscious heavy cream and melted cheese sauce. This dish uses mozzarella for its gooey texture and parmesan for a sharp, savory finish, all tossed with perfectly cooked ditalini pasta.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 Yellow Onion, diced
- 500 g Fresh Broccoli, chopped
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
Cheeses and Dairy
- 2 cups Heavy Cream
- 8 oz Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
- 8 oz Parmesan Cheese, grated
- 2 tbsp Butter
Other
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 16 oz Ditalini Pasta
- 1/2 cup Reserved Pasta Water
- Salt (2 tsp plus to taste)
- Black Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: In a large skillet, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and diced onion, and sauté until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt to enhance the flavors.
- Cook Broccoli: Stir in the chopped broccoli and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes, until the broccoli is tender but still vibrant green. Add an additional teaspoon of salt.
- Add Cream and Cheese: Pour in the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Add shredded mozzarella cheese and stir continuously until the cheese has melted and the sauce becomes smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to your taste.
- Cook Pasta: Meanwhile, cook the ditalini pasta in a separate pot according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining the pasta.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the broccoli and creamy sauce. Pour in the reserved pasta water and gently toss everything together until the pasta is coated evenly with the sauce.
- Finish with Parmesan: Remove the skillet from heat. Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese over the pasta and stir until the cheese melts and is fully incorporated into the dish.
- Serve: Serve the creamy broccoli pasta immediately, optionally garnished with extra parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy your warm, comforting meal!
Notes
- Reserve pasta water to adjust the sauce consistency and help it cling to the pasta better.
- You can substitute ditalini pasta with any short pasta like penne or rigatoni.
- For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream.
- Add crushed red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
- Use freshly grated cheeses for best melting and flavor.
Keywords: broccoli pasta, creamy pasta, cheesy pasta, vegetarian pasta, ditalini, easy dinner, stovetop pasta
