Fall in love with our dairy-free Italian-style broccoli pasta recipe. Creamy and flavorful, it's the perfect blend of comfort and nutrition. A quick (under 30 minutes) and easy one-pot weeknight dinner, perfect for the whole family.
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Broccoli Pasta Sauce 🥦
Quick and easy pasta dishes are a staple in our house, and vegan pasta with broccoli sauce has become my current favorite. This traditional Italian recipe is called Pasta Broccoli or Pasta con Broccoli. Combining al dente pasta with a vibrant, luscious garlic-flavored broccoli cream sauce is a great way to sneak this superfood into your family's daily diet. This recipe perfectly blends comfort and nutrition.
Cream of Broccoli Pasta is a quick, easy weeknight dinner that the whole family will love. It's one of those simple homemade meals that comes together with minimal effort, making it a staple in your meal rotation. If you love my dairy-free Broccoli Cheddar Soup, you'll adore this simple Italian vegan Broccoli and Garlic Pasta dish.
What makes Broccoli Garlic Pasta creamy
You won't miss the Alfredo sauce because this dish is equally creamy and delicious. The secret ingredient is the starchy pasta cooking water. Adding the reserved water to the dish creates a glossy, luscious texture, making the sauce wonderfully creamy without the need for traditional cream-based sauces. This recipe of Italian pasta with broccoli and garlic is a keeper!
Why make it
- Vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free
- Can be made in 30 minutes
- Made without cream or cheese
- One-pot weeknight dinner idea
- Toddlers and kid-friendly
- Ideal for meal-prep
- Simple, and easy broccoli recipe
Ingredients needed 🧾
Pasta - I have used gluten-free Rigatoni. But you can use any variety, especially the short type. Orecchiette is a popular choice as well. Even spaghetti, gnocchi, and ravioli can be used.
Vegetables - Use a fresh broccoli head (florets and tender stems). For convenience, you can also use bagged pre-cut or frozen. For added protein, use frozen shelled edamame. Alternatively, you can add green peas or any other vegetables of your choice.
Spices - Mixed herbs, red pepper flakes, and nutmeg are the three spices that you will need in this one-pot cheese pasta recipe with broccoli sauce.
Aromatics - garlic, and cilantro give this vegan Alfredo pasta dish an aromatic flavor with a kick.
Cheese - To keep it vegan, use freshly grated dairy-free Parmesan cheese.
Nutritional Yeast - Adds a cheesy, nutty flavor to the dish, enhancing the overall taste of the dish while keeping it dairy-free.
Extra Virgin Olive oil for sautéing and adding a rich flavor and chili oil adds a spicy kick.
How to make it 🔪
How to make the broccoli sauce
- Roughly cut the broccoli into florets. In a pan, bring water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add the florets, salt, and pepper. Boil for 8 minutes.
- Strain them, reserving the cooking water. Let the florets cool.
- Transfer the cooled florets to a blender jar. Blitz to make a smooth puree, adding a cup (or as needed) of the reserved water to help make the sauce. You can also use a handheld blender. Blend in batches if needed. You can blend until smooth or keep it slightly coarse, similar to pesto.
- Sieving the puree is optional. Transfer to a bowl.
How to cook the pasta
- Use the same water from cooking the florets. Add more water if needed. Add Rigatoni and salt to the boiling water and cook al dente, according to package instructions. Cooking it in the same water enhances the flavors.
- Once the Rigatoni is cooked, strain it, reserving the water. Drizzle olive oil over it, mix well, and set it aside.
How to make creamy Broccoli Garlic Pasta
- In a pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and fry until it turns golden brown.
- Add the shelled edamame and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
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- Add red pepper flakes and mixed herbs. Mix and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add the prepared green sauce along with salt. Bring it to a boil on medium flame. Add a cup of the reserved water to help bring the sauce together. This is a key step. This water will give the dish a creamy consistency.
- Add the cooked Rigatoni and nutritional yeast. Mix everything with the broccoli sauce. Add more reserved water as needed to get desired creamy sauce consistency.
- Garnish with vegan Parmesan cheese, chopped cilantro, and ground nutmeg. Remove from heat.
Serving suggestions 🍽
Spoon the broccoli cheese pasta onto plates or bowls. Drizzle with chili oil and serve. Bon appétit! For a tangy flavor, you can add lemon zest or juice. For a crispy texture, garnish with fried breadcrumbs, Pangrattato (Italian crispy breadcrumbs), or hemp hearts. This creamy pasta dish is hearty, warming, filling, and delicious.
You can pair vegan Broccoli Alfredo with garlic bread, Tomato soup, Lentil Soup, Cucumber Salad, Chickpea Salad, Tomato Salad, Jalapeno Poppers, Matar Kachori Pinwheels, or Puff Pastry Samosa.
Pasta for weeknights
Looking for a quick and easy dinner option? Enjoy these Italian classics that are both satisfying and simple to prepare - Almond Picado Pesto Spaghetti, Indian Curry Pasta, Creamy Pesto Bake, Spinach Pasta Salad, Breadcrumbs Pasta Salad, Baked Tortellini Casserole, Minestrone Soup, Instant Pot Italian Chili, and Pesto Gnocchi.
Top recipe tips 💭
For a shortcut, you can use bagged pre-cut or frozen broccoli. To give the cream sauce an earthy roasted flavor, you can roast the broccoli and garlic. You can make the same recipe with cauliflower. If you consume dairy, adding some Pecorino cheese on top tastes very good.
FAQs 📖
White beans, crispy tofu, chickpeas, Pigeon peas, green peas, mushrooms, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, zucchini, basil leaves, and kale can be added to this dish!
When blending the florets, add garlic, pine nuts (or sunflower seeds), basil, olive oil, nutritional yeast, and vegan cheese along with it to make pesto.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. As it cools, it will become dry. Reheat in the microwave or over medium-low heat in a skillet before serving, adding some plant-based milk or broth. To revive the flavor, add fresh herbs, hot chili oil, and cheese.
The dish is best enjoyed fresh, as the texture becomes soft after freezing and thawing. However, if you have leftovers you can't eat within a few days, freeze them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Another option is to prepare and store the green pesto sauce ahead of time, which can also be frozen. When needed, thaw and mix it with the cooked pasta.
Make the dish as mentioned. Then transfer to an oven-safe casserole, top it with vegan mozzarella cheese, and bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese melts.
More Italian recipes
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Recipe 📖
Easy Creamy Broccoli Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
To make the broccoli sauce
- 1 head broccoli
- salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
To cook the pasta
- 16 oz Gluten-free Rigatoni pasta
- water
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
To make creamy Broccoli Garlic Pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 10 cloves garlic
- 1 cup shelled edamame
- 1 teaspoon mixed herbs
- 2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoon vegan Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoon cilantro or parsley
- 1 teaspoon chilli oil
Instructions
To make the broccoli sauce
- Roughly cut the broccoli into florets. In a pan, bring water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add the florets, salt, and pepper. Boil for 8 minutes.
- Strain them, reserving the cooking water. Let the florets cool.
- Transfer the cooled florets to a blender jar. Blitz to make a smooth puree, adding a cup (or as needed) of the reserved water to help make the sauce. You can also use a handheld blender. Blend in batches if needed. You can blend until smooth or keep it slightly coarse, similar to pesto.
- Sieving the puree is optional. Transfer to a bowl.
To cook the pasta
- Use the same water from cooking the broccoli. Add more water if needed. Add Rigatoni and salt to the boiling water and cook al dente, according to package instructions. Cooking it in the same water enhances the flavors.
- Once the Rigatoni is cooked, strain it, reserving the water. Drizzle olive oil over it, mix well, and set it aside.
To make creamy Broccoli Garlic Pasta
- In a pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and fry until it turns golden brown.
- Add the shelled edamame and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
- Add red pepper flakes and mixed herbs. Mix and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add the prepared green sauce along with salt. Bring it to a boil on medium flame. Add a cup of the reserved water to help bring the sauce together. This is a key step. This water will give the dish a creamy consistency.
- Add the cooked Rigatoni and nutritional yeast. Mix everything with the broccoli sauce. Add more reserved water as needed to get desired creamy sauce consistency.
- Garnish with vegan Parmesan cheese, chopped cilantro, and ground nutmeg. Remove from heat. Spoon the broccoli cheese pasta onto plates or bowls. Drizzle chili oil and serve.
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