Italian Broccoli Pasta with Garlic and Olive Oil (quick recipe)
Italian Broccoli Pasta will become your new best friend when you're juggling a busy schedule or just want something easy and nutritious. Imagine fresh, vibrant broccoli mixed with perfectly al dente pasta, all coming together in under 30 minutes. It's a vegetarian dream, packed with the goodness of garlicky olive oil and a little kick from the red pepper flakes.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 161kcal
Equipment
- measuring cups and spoons
- small saucepan
- chef's knife
- large pot
- collander
Ingredients
Pasta and Broccoli
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 8 ounces Gemelli or similar short pasta
- 4 cups broccoli florets and stalks washed, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Garnish
- Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese
Instructions
- Cook garlic in olive oil: Add the olive oil to a small saucepan and gently sauté over medium-low heat until the edges of the garlic are golden brown. This should take 5-6 minutes. Set aside¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, 4 garlic cloves
- Cook pasta and broccoli: Bring a large pot of water to the boil (cook pasta according to package directions). In the last 4-5 minutes that is needed to cook the pasta, add the broccoli to the boiling water and cook for 4-5 minutes. Note: I like my broccoli tender and not soft to the point it is falling apart. For softer broccoli, cook 6-8 minutes.8 ounces Gemelli, 4 cups broccoli florets and stalks
- Reserve cooking water: Before you drain the pasta and broccoli, reserve ⅓ cup of the cooking water in case you need it to loosen the pasta and add moisture.
- Drain pasta and broccoli: Drain the pasta and broccoli and return to the same pot.
- Add seasoning: Drizzle the garlic infused olive oil over the pasta and broccoli, add the salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine. If the pasta looks dry, add a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water/cooking water and discard the unused amount.¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, 4 garlic cloves, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Serve: Serve with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese.Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 161kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 176mg | Potassium: 297mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 567IU | Vitamin C: 79mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg
