Heat the oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions and cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until lightly browned.
Meanwhile, when the water is boiling, add the broccoli to it and let boil for 5 minutes.
Once the onion has cooked, add the garlic and let cook for 30 seconds before stirring. Then add the red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
Using a slotted spoon or metal sieve, scoop the broccoli out of the water and add it to the pot with the onions. Do not drain the water. Scoop out 1 cup of the pasta water and add it to the broccoli sauce. Bring sauce to a simmer and then reduce heat to medium-low.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions.
Allow the broccoli sauce to simmer while the pasta cooks, stirring occasionally.
Heat the butter in a small frying pan and once melted add the breadcrumbs. Let them cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown.
Once the pasta has cooked, drain it and add it to the broccoli sauce, add half the cheese and half the breadcrumbs, and stir to combine.
Serve the pasta topped with the remaining cheese and breadcrumbs.
Other Pasta Recipes You’ll Love
We love a delicious, vegetarian pasta recipe. Here are some of our favorite veggie-heavy pasta recipes we think you'll enjoy.
Roasted Veggie Pasta with Feta - wonderfully flavored with fresh veggies and roasted feta make a delicious dish.
Burst Cherry Tomato Pasta - loads of flavor and the just burst tomatoes are like little pockets of joy in each bite.
Pesto Pasta Salad - fresh veggies and pesto in a zesty pasta salad.
Tips for this Recipe
This recipe requires managing a few different pots, so read through the whole recipe before making it.
Be sure to save the water you cook the broccoli in (scoop out the broccoli, don't drain it), because you'll cook the pasta in the same water - it adds flavor + saves time.
Make sure not to overcook the pasta. Cook it for the minimum time according to the package. (If it says 10 to 12 minutes, cook it for 10).
This pasta is best served fresh, but it will save in the refrigerator for up to four days.
This delightful broccoli pasta recipe is a delicious weeknight meal.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Additional Time5 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Ingredients
12 ounces broccoli florets
1 pound fusilli (or other chunky pasta)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup breadcrumbs
1 cup shredded parmesan
Instructions
Boil a large pot of salted water over high heat.
Heat the oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions and cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until lightly browned.
Meanwhile, when the water is boiling, add the broccoli to it and let boil for 5 minutes.
Once the onion has cooked, add the garlic and let cook for 30 seconds before stirring. Then add the red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
Using a slotted spoon or metal sieve, scoop the broccoli out of the water and add it to the pot with the onions. Do not drain the water. Scoop out 1 cup of the pasta water and add it to the broccoli sauce. Bring sauce to a simmer and then reduce heat to medium-low.
Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions.
Allow the broccoli sauce to simmer while the pasta cooks, stirring occasionally.
Heat the butter in a small frying pan and once melted add the breadcrumbs. Let them cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown.
Once the pasta has cooked, drain it and add it to the broccoli sauce, add half the cheese and half the breadcrumbs, and stir to combine.
Serve the pasta topped with the remaining cheese and breadcrumbs.
We threw in the broccoli with about five minutes to go, and it was perfectly tender by the time we drained the whole pot. If you often blanch vegetables or sauté them ahead of time before adding to a pasta dish, try this method. Especially on a busy night, it's nice to skip an extra step.
Lightly sauteed with garlic and a splash of water. It's that simple. Cooking broccoli in this way retains most of its colour, nutritional value along with that crunch that results in a delicious side dish that even my youngest and pickiest eater enjoys.
Broccoli can be eaten raw, but blanching it quickly in boiling water helps give it a more crisp-tender texture and bring out its flavor. Broccoli can also be steamed, sautéed, and roasted. You could even throw long spears on the grill!
To boil, place in a pan of boiling water and cook the florets for 6-8 minutes. To steam, place in a steamer over boiling water and cook for 6-8 minutes. Broccoli to be stir-fried should be separated into bite-sized florets, heat 1 tbsp of oil in a frying pan and add the florets, cook for 4-5 minutes or until tender.
While boiled broccoli is often soggy, steamed broccoli is characteristically crisp-tender. Plus, when you boil broccoli, some of the nutrients leach into the boiling water. You don't have to worry about that with steaming. Your steamed broccoli will be a great meal-prep building block because it's like a blank canvas.
Moreover, too much exposure to high temperatures destroys the enzyme that converts the inactive glucosinolates to active compounds. Serving broccoli raw is an excellent option, since it retains these nutrients and the enzyme that forms isothiocyanate compounds.
Introducing broccoli into your daily dietary routine can yield various health benefits. Its fibre, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants contribute to improved digestion, bone health, and a reduced risk of chronic diseases.
Yes, dogs can eat broccoli. Dogs can eat the vegetable both cooked and raw, as long as there are no seasonings or oils added. However, this vegetable should always be given in very small quantities, especially because the florets contain isothiocyanates, which can cause gastric irritation in dogs.
Nope, not those commercial produce washes; the USDA actually advises against using those. Instead, use a pantry staple: vinegar. Fill a large bowl with 2 ⅔ cups cold or warm water and ⅓ cup white vinegar. Allow it to soak for 2 minutes, then dump the broccoli into a colander.
Sauteed or pan fried broccoli is the fastest, most delicious way to cook it on a weeknight! Broccoli is often overcooked, leaving it soggy and without flavor. This go-to simple pan fried broccoli cooks it up so it's lightly browned but perfectly crisp tender and flavorful! It's our go-to we eat almost every day.
If there are yellow or brown spots, it's a sign that it's past its prime. If you see any mold, such as white or black fuzzy patches, it's definitely spoiled. Smell: If the broccoli has a strong odor or an off smell, throw it out. Texture: Broccoli should have tight florets and a firm stem.
If your produce is in season, cooking it in pasta water will do the most by doing the least, which is to say it will cook your veg without taking away its freshness. For added flavor, try dropping a clove or two of smashed garlic in your pasta water. For the best results, cook your pasta and veg in a large pot.
Steaming your vegetables over the same pot that is cooking your pasta not only saves time, space, and water, but it's a great way to ensure that they both get done simultaneously.
The starch-rich water you get from cooking pasta is useful for making sauces and baking bread. Margaret Eby is currently the Deputy Food Director at The Philadelphia Inquirer, and has previously held a position as Senior Editor at MyRecipes, Food & Wine and Food52.
Also, much like keeping vegetable water to build stocks and gravy, you can do the same with pasta water, as well as adding it to pan sauces, soaking and cooking beans, and making fluffy bread.
Introduction: My name is Corie Satterfield, I am a fancy, perfect, spotless, quaint, fantastic, funny, lucky person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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