Go Back
–+ servings
pasta con broccoli in white pasta dish with gold fork
Print Recipe
5 from 33 votes

Pasta Con Broccoli

Pasta con Broccoli is an incredible Italian dish with broccoli and mushrooms in a tomato cream sauce. This one pot dinner is made from start to finish in less than 20 minutes!
Prep Time3 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time23 minutes
Course: Entree
Cuisine: American, Italian
Servings: 6
Author: Julie Blanner

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces pasta (shells or whatever your favorite is)
  • ¼ cup butter salted
  • 1½ cups half and half (12 ounces)
  • ⅓ cup tomato sauce
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic 4 cloves
  • ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup broccoli fresh, chopped
  • 1 cup fresh mushrooms fresh, sliced
  • ¾ cup parmesan cheese fresh grated
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salty water to a boil.
  • Add pasta. Prepare until ¾ done (the pasta will finish cooking in the sauce) and strain. Return pasta to pot.
    16 ounces pasta
    A stainless steel pan on a stove top with pasta shells.
  • Reduce heat to medium low and add butter, half and half, tomato sauce, minced garlic, red pepper, broccoli, and mushrooms.
    ¼ cup butter, 1½ cups half and half, ⅓ cup tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1 cup broccoli, 1 cup fresh mushrooms
    A stainless steel pan on a stove top with pasta shells and other ingredients to make pasta con broccoli.
  • Boil until noodles and vegetables are tender and sauce thickens - about 4 minutes.
    ¾ cup parmesan cheese, salt and pepper
    A stainless steel pan on a stove top with pasta shells and other ingredients to make pasta con broccoli.
  • Remove from heat and toss with parmesan. Salt and pepper to taste.
    stirring parmesan into pasta con broccoli

Notes

  • Don't overcook pasta. Strain as soon as it's cooked 3/4 of the way done (it continues to cook with the other ingredients), and watch broccoli carefully so it doesn't become mushy.
  • Use fresh broccoli (vs frozen) to keep moisture to a minimum.

Substitutions

  • Half and Half - This results in a light cream sauce, however, if you prefer a richer cream sauce, you can substitute with heavy cream.

Variations

  • Add More Vegetables – Cauliflower, sweet onions, asparagus and zucchini all pair well with this tomato cream sauce.
  • Add Protein – Juicy baked chicken breast, cooked Italian sausage, bacon, or guanicale.
  • Substitute with Rice or Gnocchi – In lieu of egg noodle, substitute rice or gnocchi.

    Storage Notes

    Store in an airtight container, refrigerated up to 3 days. Or, freeze in an airtight container up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat to serve.

    How to Reheat

      1. Preheat oven to 350℉.
      2. Add pasta to an oven safe dish. Drizzle with leftover sauce or heavy cream, half and half or more tomato sauce.
      1. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes or until completely heated through. Serve with fresh grated parmesan and cracked pepper.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 490kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 374mg | Potassium: 403mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 700IU | Vitamin C: 15.8mg | Calcium: 241mg | Iron: 1.5mg