Broccoli Parmesan Pasta is an easy weeknight pasta recipe. The main sauce for the recipe is made from broccoli, Parmesan cheese, garlic, lemon, red pepper flakes, and pasta water. Get your veggies while still enjoying an easy pasta dish.

I love to challenge my family’s palate.

It is also an added bonus if it is something green that gets scowls as I place the bowls/plates on the table.

I mean, who doesn’t love to cook for the whole family, only to have everybody refuse to eat?

Broccoli Parmesan pasta is an easy weeknight pasta that will have your family thinking they are eating a plain pesto pasta.

In reality the “sauce” is made primarily from smashed up broccoli.

Here is what you need for this pasta:

• broccoli
• garlic
• crushed red pepper flakes
• extra-virgin olive oil
• anchovy paste
• pasta water
• Parmesan cheese
• Penne Rigate

You will also need two pots. One for the pasta and one for the sauce.

The most important thing in this recipe is to remember to save at least a cup of pasta water.

Add the olive oil, garlic, red pepper, and anchovy paste to a cold pot.

Bring to a saute over medium/low heat. Stir so nothing gets golden or brown.

Add in the broccoli florets. Cover with a lid.

Cook that broccoli until it is mushy! Trust the process.

While the broccoli is cooking bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 

Cook the penne until al dente. Don’t forget to reserve the pasta water.

Check in on the broccoli to make sure it isn’t burning and still has plenty of oil or water coating the bottom of the pot.

If the liquid in the pot starts to get low, add a ladle-full of pasta water to the broccoli.

After about 20 minutes, the broccoli should be good and mushy.

Reduce the heat and remove the lid. Use a potato masher and mash up that broccoli until it is no longer recognizable as broccoli.

Add a little pasta cooking water to loosen up the broccoli.

Mix in the Parmesan cheese. add more salt and cooking liquid if needed.

Mix in the cooked pasta.

Adjust the salt to taste. Mix and mix until all the penne is evenly coated.

The penne should look like it is coated in pesto.

I have made this a few times and I have to tell you that even if the broccoli parmesan sauce is a little chunky, it is still good!

Call it rustic.

Broccoli Parmesan Pasta

Yield: Serves 4-6

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Easy weeknight penne dish with a green sauce made from smashed broccoli, garlic, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, anchovy paste, crushed red pepper flakes, and pasta water.

Print

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp anchovy paste or one anchovy fillet
• 1lb frozen or fresh broccoli florets
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• salt, added liberally, frequently, and to taste
• 3/4 - 1 cup reserved pasta water
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
• 1lb penne rigate

Instructions

1. Add the olive oil, garlic, anchovy, and crushed red pepper flakes to a medium cold pot. Bring up to a saute over medium/low heat. Mix to break up the anchovy and cook for about 3 minutes.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
3. Add the broccoli to the olive oil and garlic pot. Mix to coat. Season with a big pinch of salt. Cook with a lid and cook the broccoli for about 20 minutes until mushy. Check on the broccoli every now and then and if it needs more cooking liquid, add a little olive oil or pasta water.
4. Add the penne to the boiling water right after you add the broccoli to the other pot. Cook until al dente. Reserve a cup of cooking liquid. Drain the noodles and set off to the side.
5. Once the broccoli is super mushy, add a little bit of reserved pasta water, lemon juice and then mash the broccoli using a potato masher. Mash the broccoli until it looks like a pesto sauce. Add a little more pasta liquid and then the parmesan cheese. Mix to combine. Reduce heat to low. If the sauce it a little too thick, add more pasta water.
6. Mix in the noodles. Cook for a minute or two while mixing. Adjust salt to taste.
7. Add noodles to serving bowls. Top with more red pepper and Parmesan cheese.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  PriorityChef Colander, Stainless Steel Kitchen Strainer For Washing Rice, Pasta And Small Grains, 3 Qrt
• 
  Strainer Spider Skimmers For Kitchen Cooking and Frying Food,Kyraton Stainless Steel Slotted Spoon Pasta Strainers Tomato Food Strainer Skimmer Ladle For Pasta.