This quick and creamy pasta with broccoli is an easy way to whip up something yummy in a flash! A creamy sauce with parmesan makes a super easy white sauce you can use for tossing in your favorite short pasta with veggies or meat.
Ground parmesan adds a delicious taste to this white sauce and a dash of garlic powder makes it tasty and pasta-ready.
Once it’s finished, you can toss in sliced mushrooms or colorful sautéed bell peppers. Toss in cubed chicken breast. You can really use this as a base and give it your own unique delectable twist. Let’s put a few things together to get it started…
1. Prepare Broccoli and Your Favorite Short Pasta
Prepare broccoli and your favorite short pasta first. They’ll be ready to toss in when your creamy sauce is finished. I used curly rotini because I like the way it grabs the sauce with its swirly shape. Here are some great tips on making fresh broccoli for your pasta!
2. Make A Thickening Paste
Combine softened butter and flour in a small bowl and stir it together until it forms a soft paste. This quick step will help to thicken the cream and give the sauce some body.
3. Make A Creamy Sauce
In a wide 4 quart pan, add half & half. Now add the flour and butter paste to the cream, whisking constantly. Add in salt, pepper, ground parmesan, and garlic powder, if desired. Note that the parmesan will bring a brininess/saltiness to the sauce. Not much salt is needed to season it the rest of the way.
Continue whisking everything together until the sauce is slightly thickened or easily coats a spoon.
Related: Leftover Pasta Casserole With Broccoli & Parmesan Crust
4. Toss Pasta & Broccoli In Creamy Sauce
Toss cooked pasta and broccoli into the same pan with the cream sauce. Stir everything together to coat it. Serve while hot. Sprinkle with a little more ground parmesan over the top.
I love tossing this quick and creamy pasta with big freshly cooked florets of broccoli. The broccoli soaks up the sauce and makes these delicious saucy, juicy bites. The pasta just finishes everything off and turns it into a meal!
What Can I add to my sauce?
You can add juicy browned mushrooms or colorful sautéed peppers. Asparagus spears would be great too. You can add cubes of juicy chicken breast! Chicken+creamy sauce=delicious. This would be a super simple and tasty combo.
Try this easy chicken breast recipe and toss it in with your creamy pasta!
Helpful Hints:
- If the sauce is too thick, feel free to add a ladle or two of pasta water. Continue whisking everything through until it comes together with the right consistency.
- If the sauce is too thin, continue whisking on even heat until it reaches a thicker consistency. The flour will help it to thicken. It’s just a matter of time! Sometimes people reach that consistency at different points. For me, on medium/high, it happens in about 7 to 10 minutes. Once it coats the back of your spoon, it should be good enough to coat the pasta and broccoli.
Quick and Creamy Pasta With Broccoli
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large head Fresh broccoli cut into florets - or 2 small heads. steamed/cooked
- 1 16oz box Rotini Pasta - cooked to package directions
- 1 1/2 cups Half & half
- 1 /2 tsp Coarse sea salt
- 1/2 tsp Ground pepper
- 1 tbsp All purpose flour
- 1 tbsp Softened unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp Fresh ground parmesan cheese
- 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder - optional for flavor
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine softened butter and flour with a spoon until a thick paste forms.
- Now, in a wide 4 qt pan over low heat pour in half & half cream. Whisk in the flour/butter paste until combined with the cream. Toss in salt, pepper, and ground parmesan cheese. Sprinkle in a pinch of garlic powder, if desired. Continue whisking over medium heat until sauce is slightly thickened and the nuttiness of the flour is cooked out. Do not bring to a boil. After about 7 to 10 minutes, sauce should be just thick enough to coat your spoon but still drizzly.
- Once the creamy sauce is thickened and finished, add cooked rotini (or your favorite short pasta) and steamed broccoli to the same pan with the cream sauce. Toss everything together until coated and combined.
- Serve while hot and garnish with a little extra parmesan cheese or parsley over the top.
