Pasta Broccoli is one of the most memorable dishes from my childhood. My mom made it often, especially when she needed something fast, filling, and guaranteed to make everyone at the table happy. It’s one of those meals that sticks with you, not because it’s fancy, but because it’s familiar, comforting, and made with love.
I always embrace the Italian style of cooking known as, cucina povera. Italy’s humble “peasant cooking” tradition that turns simple, inexpensive ingredients into something incredibly satisfying. This is the type of pasta that doesn’t need or have a sauce. The broccoli is cooked just until tender, then chopped and gently broken down in garlic oil, becoming the sauce itself. By reusing the same pot of water to boil both the broccoli and the pasta, the pasta gets to soak up some of the nutrients and flavor left behind from the broccoli. Not only that, you don’t need to dirty another pot.
What I love most about this dish, besides the nostalgic flavor and comfort it makes me feel, is how approachable it is. You only need a few ingredients and one pot. It’s quick enough for a weeknight and easy enough for a beginner but still feels like a little celebration of good home cooking. The final touch is a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese to bring everything together. Nothing complicated, just classic flavors and good technique. If you grew up in an Italian household, you might already know this one. If not, welcome: this is a great place to start.
Pasta Broccoli
4
servings10
minutes25
minutesIngredients
1 large 1 head of broccoli
1 lb 1 pasta (I like penne or spaghetti for this one)
Salt
1/4 cup 1/4 extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
3-4 cloves 3-4 garlic, smashed
1/2 cup 1/2 freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Chili flakes (optional for spice)
Directions
- Bring a big pot of water to a boil and salt it like the sea.
- While it heats up, trim the end of the stems off the broccoli and leave whole so it’s easy to work with.
- Once the water boils, drop in the broccoli and cook for about 5 minutes, until it starts to get tender.
- Use tongs or a slotted spoon to pull it out and set it aside (keep the water).
- Add the pasta to that same pot with a little more salt and cook until al dente (before you drain it, scoop out about a cup of the starchy pasta water).
- Drain the pasta.
- Place the pot back over low heat, drizzle in the olive oil, and toss in the smashed garlic (let the garlic sizzle gently; don’t let it brown! Pull it off the heat if needed to not burn the garlic).
- You can add chili flakes here if you like a little spice.
- Chop up the cooked broccoli and toss it into the pot with the garlic oil.
- Stir it around (add another drizzle of olive oil if it looks dry).
- Add the pasta, a splash of pasta water, and the Parmesan.
- Toss it all together until it’s creamy, glossy, and the cheese is melted into everything.
- Serve it right away with extra Parm on top and maybe a drizzle of olive oil.
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