Broccoli Spaghetti Recipe

I used to assume that spaghetti had to have a lot of cheese and heavy cream on it to taste delicious. That’s how we always cooked it at my house when I was a kid. I’ll admit I was skeptical when my husband tried to throw in broccoli one night.

I was wrong to think I needed all that cheese and cream. This broccoli pasta shows that you can produce a great meal with just a few simple ingredients if you cook them the proper way. And the best part? You won’t feel like you need to take a nap after it.

Why Choose This Broccoli Pasta?

Great for hectic weeknights with a filling meal in 25 to 40 minutes.
Cheap ingredients: Uses few basic pantry items and fresh broccoli.
Whole grain pasta and fresh broccoli provide a healthy balance of carbs and vegetables.
Vegetables that kids will like—broccoli gets seasoned and soft, making it easy to get family to eat vegetables.
Simple cleanup: only one pot for pasta and one pan for broccoli.

Choosing and Preparing Broccoli

This pasta is great with regular green broccoli (Calabrese broccoli), or broccolini for a milder, sweeter taste. Look for dark green heads with tight, compact florets. Avoid fading or flowering heads. Fresh is best; frozen florets work but will be softer. Chop florets evenly for even cooking, and use stems thinly sliced for crunch.

Variations and Substitutions

Substitute cauliflower, broccolini, or Brussels sprouts—cut evenly and cook till tender-crisp.
Choose fusilli, rotini, bow ties, whole wheat or chickpea spaghetti as healthy pasta options.
Use Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano instead of Parmesan; nutritional yeast is dairy-free alternative.
Olive oil can be regular, extra virgin, butter, or avocado oil.
Substitute crushed red pepper flakes with cayenne pepper, or omit for no heat; black pepper works well.

Cooking Tips for Best Flavor and Texture

Don’t overcook broccoli—blanch 2–3 minutes until bright green and crisp. Save at least 1 cup pasta water before draining for sauce. Add garlic to oil on medium heat for about 30 seconds to avoid bitterness. Add Parmesan cheese in two steps for creamy coating and finishing touch.

Recipe Details

Prep time: 10–15 minutes
Cook time: 15–25 minutes
Total time: 25–40 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Nutrition (without optional items)

900 to 1100 calories
40 to 50 grams of protein
50 to 60 grams of fat
Carbs: 90–100 g

Ingredients

1 big head of broccoli, cut into small pieces
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt and black pepper to taste
12 ounces penne pasta
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Preparation Instructions

Put a lot of salt in a big saucepan of water and bring it to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook about 5 minutes until soft. Put cooked broccoli in a bowl and save 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
Put olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, a pinch of red pepper flakes, cooked broccoli and saved water. Add salt and pepper. Stir occasionally while cooking about 10 minutes until broccoli is mashable with a spoon.
Add pasta to the same pot with the broccoli water, cook to al dente per package. Drain well after cooking.
Put drained pasta into skillet with broccoli mash. Add Parmesan and mix well. Add leftover pasta water if sauce is too thick.
Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan cheese.

Serving Suggestions and Leftover Tips

This broccoli spaghetti pairs well with fresh green salad with cherry tomatoes and vinaigrette, warm garlic bread, and protein like grilled chicken or turkey meatballs. Add roasted cherry tomatoes or sautéed mushrooms for more vegetables.

Store leftovers in airtight container in fridge up to 4 days; flavors improve after a day. Pasta may absorb sauce; add olive oil when reheating. Prepare broccoli and pasta separately up to 2 days ahead; combine and heat when ready to serve to avoid mushiness.

Reheat in skillet over medium heat with a little water or olive oil, stirring occasionally, or microwave covered in 30-second intervals stirring in between.