This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Broccoli Pasta is creamy, cheesy, and quick to make! Ready in under 20 minutes, this easy veggie pasta recipe will be a family favorite.
For more ways to use up your broccoli, try my Broccoli Rice Casserole, Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup, and Broccoli with Cheese Sauce.
Table of Contents
Why We Love This Recipe
- Ready in 20 Minutes – This broccoli pasta recipe is ready in no time!
- Creamy and Cheesy – The sauce combines heavy cream and parmesan cheese to make a rich sauce similar to alfredo.
- Simple Ingredients – Only 7 easy ingredients are needed!
Ingredients For Broccoli Pasta
You only need 7 simple ingredients to make this creamy broccoli pasta recipe.
- Heavy Cream – Find this next to the milk, usually labeled as “heavy whipping cream.”
- Butter – Salted or unsalted, whatever you happen to have on hand.
- Garlic – Fresh cloves are best, but you can swap in the minced garlic in a jar if it’s what you have on hand.
- Parmesan Cheese – Grab a triangle shaped block of Parmesan and shred or grate yourself. The pre-grated stuff has an anti-caking agent that prevents proper melting.
- Farfalle Pasta – This butterfly shaped pasta is my favorite with broccoli because it’s a good size. But you can use any small cup pasta you like.
- Broccoli Florets – Grab a couple of heads of broccoli and chop them up, or go easy and buy a bag of florets already cut up.
- Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
How To Make Creamy Broccoli Pasta
See recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
This creamy, veggie pasta recipe is ready to serve in only 20 minutes! Cooking the pasta and broccoli in the same pot of boiling water makes it extra easy to make.
- Cook Pasta and Broccoli – Start by boiling a large pot of generously salted water and cook the pasta until al dente. In the last 3 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli to cook. Drain and set aside.
- Make Creamy Sauce – While the broccoli and pasta cooks, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic to the melted butter and cook for just a minute until fragrant then pour in the heavy cream. Stir frequently until it starts to simmer then keep at a low boil until it thickens.
- Add Parmesan – Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the fresh parmesan. It’s best to add it a little at a time until it’s incorporated and melted into the sauce.
- Toss with Pasta and Broccoli – Add the cooked pasta and broccoli to the sauce and stir to coat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve – Garnish with fresh cracked black pepper and parmesan, and serve immediately.
For more easy dinners, check out our collections of Easy Dinner Ideas For Kids and Easy Weeknight Dinners.
FAQs
You can swap in frozen broccoli for fresh. The frozen florets will lower the temp of the boiling water more and take a little longer to cook, so add it in the last 4 minutes of cooking.
I like to use a shorter noodle, like farfalle for this recipe, but you can use any pasta shape you like.
Serving Suggestions
While this recipe can hold up on its own for a delicious meatless meal, you can add some sides for a larger meal. We love serving either garlic breadsticks or garlic bread. For extra green on the table, serve a big salad like this caesar salad or garden salad
Variations
- Pasta Shapes – Instead of the farfalle pasta, you can swap in another small pasta like fusilli, penne, or rigatoni.
- Add Chicken or Shrimp – Try folding in cooked diced chicken or cooked shrimp for some added protein.
- Lemon – For extra freshness, you can add some lemon zest or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end.
Storage
Storage – Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheating – Leftovers can be reheated in a skillet on the stove – adding a splash of cream if needed to loosen up the sauce.
- Cook Pasta Until Al Dente – The pasta will continue to cook slightly when it’s tossed in the hot sauce, so you don’t want to overcook the pasta.
- Go Easy On The Salt – I recommend waiting to add salt until the end after you’ve tasted the sauce. Parmesan is salty so you may find that the sauce doesn’t need any salt added.
More Pasta Recipes You’ll Love
- Cheesy Broccoli Casserole
- Air Fryer Broccoli
- Chicken Broccoli Casserole (Chicken Divan)
- Chicken and Broccoli Stuffed Shells
- Beef and Broccoli
- Broccoli Slaw with Apples and Dried Cherries
Garlic Parmesan Broccoli Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup butter
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
- ½ pound farfalle pasta
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to boil, add a generous amount of salt, then add the pasta and cook to al dente. Add the broccoli to the pasta water during the last 3 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat a large saucepan over medium heat and melt the butter.
- Add minced garlic and saute for a minute, then pour in the heavy cream. Stir frequently, until the mixture begins to bubble and simmer. Keep it at a low boil until thickened.
- Once the mixture has thickened, remove from the heat and stir in the freshly shredded Parmesan, a little at a time, until it’s fully incorporated and melted.
- Add the pasta and broccoli to the sauce and stir to coat completely. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. Garnish with fresh cracked black pepper and more shredded parmesan, if desired.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- Storage – Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheating – Leftovers can be reheated in a skillet on the stove – adding a splash of cream if needed to loosen up the sauce.
