Easy Creamy Broccoli Pasta
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.
Servings 6 servings
Calories 400.38kcal
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.
Notes
Use fresh broccoli head. For a shortcut, use bagged pre-cut or frozen broccoli. Broccoli and garlic can be roasted to give the cream sauce an earthy roasted flavor. Broccoli can be substituted with cauliflower. If you consume dairy, add some Pecorino cheese on top. It tastes very good.
Nutrition
Calories: 400.38kcal | Carbohydrates: 69.76g | Protein: 16.19g | Fat: 6.77g | Saturated Fat: 1.05g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.99g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2.86g | Sodium: 76.59mg | Potassium: 660.26mg | Fiber: 6.83g | Sugar: 4.52g | Vitamin A: 840.32IU | Vitamin C: 92.02mg | Calcium: 97.58mg | Iron: 2.73mg