Description

This Cheesy and Creamy Broccoli Pasta is a delightful comfort dish combining tender broccoli with a luscious cream sauce loaded with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, tossed with perfectly cooked ditalini pasta. It’s a quick and satisfying vegetarian meal perfect for weeknights or cozy dinners.

Ingredients

Scale

Vegetables and Aromatics

1 Yellow Onion, diced
500 g Fresh Broccoli, chopped
4 cloves Garlic, minced

Dairy and Fats

2 tbsp Butter
2 tbsp Olive oil
2 cups Heavy Cream
8 oz Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
8 oz Parmesan Cheese, grated

Pasta

16 oz Ditalini Pasta
1/2 cup Reserved Pasta Water

Seasoning

Salt, to taste (approximately 2 tsp during cooking plus more as needed)
Freshly ground 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, sautéing until translucent and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt to enhance the flavors.
Cook Broccoli: Stir in the chopped broccoli and sauté for another 5 minutes until the broccoli is tender yet still vibrant green. Add another teaspoon of salt to season the vegetables well.
Create Cream Sauce: Pour in the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Add the shredded mozzarella cheese and stir continuously until the cheese melts fully, creating a smooth, creamy sauce. Season the sauce with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Cook Pasta: Meanwhile, in a separate pot boil water and cook the ditalini pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining the pasta.
Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the broccoli and creamy cheese sauce. Pour in the reserved pasta water and gently toss everything together until the pasta is well coated with the sauce, adjusting consistency if needed.
Add Parmesan: Remove the skillet from heat. Sprinkle grated parmesan cheese over the pasta and stir gently until the cheese melts and is fully incorporated, enriching the dish’s flavor.
Serve: Serve the creamy broccoli pasta immediately, optionally garnished with additional parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper for extra taste and presentation. Enjoy your comforting meal!

Notes

For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk, though the sauce will be less rich.
To make it gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta instead of ditalini.
Freshly grated cheese melts better than pre-shredded varieties.
Reserve pasta water is key to achieving the perfect sauce consistency.
Add chili flakes for a spicy kick if desired.
Use freshly ground black pepper for the best flavor.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Sautéing and Boiling
Cuisine: Italian-American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 510 kcal
Sugar: 3 g
Sodium: 600 mg
Fat: 35 g
Saturated Fat: 20 g
Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
Trans Fat: 0.3 g
Carbohydrates: 35 g
Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 20 g
Cholesterol: 110 mg

Keywords: broccoli pasta, creamy pasta recipe, cheesy pasta, vegetarian pasta dish, comfort food, quick pasta dinner