Pasta e Broccoli – Nonna’s Creamy Italian Broccoli Pasta
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Nonna’s Pasta e Broccoli is a humble Italian dish that will completely surprise you. It turns a head of broccoli into the creamiest, most velvety pasta sauce in under 30 minutes—using nothing but olive oil, garlic, cheese, and a little pasta water.
We grew up on simple recipes like this Pasta with Broccoli, Zucchini and Potato Soup, and Nonna’s Chicken Cutlets. My mom made them often because they were quick, easy, and everyone loved them. Now they are regulars on my dinner table for the very same reason!
Why This Is the Best Pasta con Broccoli Sauce
There are plenty of ways to make pasta with broccoli, but in this recipe, the broccoli becomes the sauce—creamy, silky, and thick so that it clings to every bite of pasta.
The secret? Nonna cooks the broccoli until it’s soft enough to mash with a fork or wooden spoon.
The other key is olive oil—a lot of it. I spent years trying to lighten it up, but it never tasted as good as hers. Eventually, I gave in and stopped worrying about the extra calories. Once I stopped skimping on the olive oil, I finally recreated that rich, velvety sauce that melts in your mouth.
Pasta with Broccoli Ingredients and Substitutions:
Broccoli: Use fresh broccoli and cut the florets into uniform-sized pieces to ensure even cooking. You can substitute frozen broccoli.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Extra-virgin olive oil is thicker and more flavorful than regular olive oil, and it creates a creamy texture when mixed with the broccoli.
Garlic: I recommend using fresh garlic in this dish. Garlic from a jar has a muted flavor and can sometimes have an unpleasant metallic aftertaste, which can impact the flavor of this sauce.
Pecorino Romano: Grated cheese is the crowning glory of this dish. The sharp saltiness of this cheese is the perfect finish to this sauce. You can use Parmigiano Reggiano if you prefer a milder flavor than Pecorino.
Pasta: This dish works just as well with either short or long pasta, so choose whatever you prefer or have on hand, as long as it is good quality. My Pasta Buying Guide provides everything you need to know to select the best-quality pasta.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook the broccoli in a pot of water until it is soft, about 12-15 minutes.
Step 2: Sauté the onion in olive oil until it is translucent, then add the garlic and red pepper flakes.
Step 3: Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked broccoli to the skillet. Add your pasta to the broccoli water and cook according to the directions.
Step 4: Use a wooden spoon or the back of a fork to mash the broccoli and stir the sauce.
Step 5: Add the grated Pecorino Romano cheese to the broccoli and stir until it is evenly incorporated. Salt and pepper to taste.
Step 6: Drain the pasta and toss it in the broccoli sauce until it is coated. Add additional pasta water to thin out the sauce if needed.
Cooking Tips
- If you leave a little of the stem on the broccoli, remove the tough skin as it may be woody.
- Cook the broccoli until it is soft so it will be easy to mash and become creamy.
- Cook the pasta in the same water that you cooked the broccoli in. It helps to flavor the pasta, and it is one less pan that needs to be washed.
- Reserve some of the pasta water to use as needed to thin out the sauce.
- Adding a drizzle of olive oil to the finished the sauce will make it velvety.
What to serve with Pasta and Broccoli
In Italy, pasta is usually a first course, followed by a meat, chicken or fish course. This pasta and broccoli recipe is a great way to start a special occasion meal featuring dishes like Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Garlic and Herb Roast Chicken, or my Bottom Round Roast Beef.
For a more casual option, try serving it as a side dish with my Easy Grilled Chicken Legs.
On a busy weeknight, I make this the hearty main course. Add a loaf of No Knead Bread or a salad, and you have a delicious meatless meal.
Pasta e Broccoli FAQ’s
Any leftovers can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for several days. Pasta and Broccoli reheats beautifully in the microwave.
True Pecorino Romano is a hard, salty Italian cheese made from sheep’s milk. It is often used for grating on pasta or other dishes. It was originally produced in the Lazio region of Italy, which is where Rome is located. Because the cheese is made of sheep’s milk, many people find it easier to digest than cheese made of cow’s milk.
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Pasta e Broccoli
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Ingredients
- 6 cups Broccoli florets, about 3 heads washed and cut into even pieces
- 1 tbsp. Salt
- ½ Onion medium
- 1 clove Garlic
- 5 oz. olive oil
- ⅛ tbsp. Red Pepper flakes optional
- ¼ tsp. Salt
- ¼ tsp. Black Pepper ground
- 6 tbsp. Pecorino Romano Cheese grated, and more for serving at the table
- 1 lb. Pasta Fettuccini, Linguini, or your favorite shape
Instructions
- Fill a past pot or stock pot with water and bring to a boil.
- Cut the broccoli into florets and wash.
- When the water is boiling, add the broccoli and 1 tbsp of salt and stir. Cook the broccoli until the florets are soft, about 10 minutes.
- Heat the oil in a skillet. When it is hot add the onion, garlic and red pepper flakes if you are using them.
- Cook just until the onion is soft, but do not allow the garlic to burn.
- Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the broccoli to the skillet.
- Using the back of a wooden spoon or a fork, mash the broccoli and mix it with the onion.
- Add the additional salt, ground pepper and the cheese and mix well.
- Cook the pasta in the broccoli water according to the product directions. The shape you select will determine how long the pasta will need to cook.
- Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of water. Pour the pasta into the skillet and toss with the broccoli. Add some pasta water if the sauce seems to thick.
- Serve the pasta with additional cheese for sprinkling on top.
Video
Notes
- If you leave a little of the stem on the broccoli, remove the tough skin, as it may not get tender enough.
- Cooking the broccoli until it is soft makes it easy to mash and gives it a creamy texture.
- Cook the pasta in the same water used to cook the broccoli. It helps flavor the pasta, and it’s one less pan that needs to be washed. You may need to add a little more water to the pan before you add the pasta.
- Reserve some of the pasta water to use in the sauce. Use it to thin out the sauce to your liking.
- Adding a drizzle of olive oil to the finished sauce makes it even more velvety.
This is one of the most delicious pasta dishes ever! I could eat it every day!
Sorry I jumped to your recipe and after I commented went back to the top and scrolled and read what you wrote. Thank you.
No problem Veegee, I hope you like this version!
I make this dish but a different variation….can’t wait to try your recipe…looks delish😋
When you cook the onion and garlic, you leave the garlic whole, minced, smashed, etc? The onion is sliced, chopped, diced?
Appreciate your thoughts.