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You’ll love this cavatelli and broccoli recipe! It’s an authentic Italian meal that looks as yummy as it tastes. It’s simple, economical, and full of flavor.

Published in June 2022/Updated in Sept 2025

Top view of a white plate full of cavatelli and broccoli served with grated pecorino cheese.

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This month, I’m back to re-share this Italian pasta recipe that we LOVE. And I want to encourage you to make it if you haven’t already!

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The combination of cavatelli pasta with its chunky texture and tender, garlicky broccoli makes this dish the supreme example of how to turn simple ingredients into a fabulous meal.

The recipe is super simple. The blanched broccoli florets are tossed with fragrant garlic, chili flakes, and extra-virgin olive oil to maximize flavor. The fresh cavatelli pasta is then cooked, added to the pan, and tossed until well combined and delicious. Serve with freshly grated pecorino cheese, and you’ll be in heaven!

And if you have time, I strongly suggest making your own homemade cavatelli (here is my best cavatelli recipe!).

Making fresh cavatelli pasta is easier than you think. It’s super fun to make together, and it only requires two basic ingredients. Of course, it’s also absolutely scrumptious and perfect for impressing your family and friends.

Whether you use homemade or store-bought cavatelli, this cavatelli pasta with broccoli is luscious, satisfying, and packed with fantastic flavor!

List of the ingredients

Broccoli
Homemade cavatelli (or store-bought cavatelli)
Extra virgin olive oil
Garlic
Chili flakes
Pecorino cheese (optional)
Salt & pepper

Top view of a the ingredients to make cavatelli and broccoli.

How to make cavatelli and broccoli

(Note: this is a quick description with step-by-step photos; the whole recipe is at the bottom of the page)

Cavatelli: How to make cavatelli from scratch? Follow this simple recipe or buy cavatelli pasta online or from any Italian food store.

Two images showing how to knead and shape fresh cavatelli on a wooden board.

Broccoli: Cut broccoli into small florets, and wash them.

Top view of a wooden board with broccoli florets.

Sauté garlic and chili flakes in olive oil until fragrant.
Blanch broccoli in a large pot of boiling water and scoop it up with a slotted spoon (use the same pot and cooking water to cook the pasta!).

Add broccoli to the skillet, breaking a few soft florets with the back of a wooden spoon. Taste and make sure the flavor pops!
Cook the cavatelli using the same pot.
Drain, add to the skillet, and toss until well combined over medium heat.
Sprinkle with pecorino cheese for an extra flavor boost. Enjoy!

Recipes notes

Cavatelli and broccoli ingredients

Broccoli: Choose broccoli with fresh-cut stems. The recipe calls for two large HEADS of broccoli – what a great way to hide a ton of superfood broccoli in something that tastes delicious, just like this soup and this quick pasta recipe!

Cavatelli: Fresh cavatelli and broccoli make a delicious combination, but I would say this recipe works just as well with any pasta shape of your choice.

Garlic: Plenty of garlic adds a lot of flavor, but it burns easily, so use it sparingly and keep an eye on it.

Chili flakes: (also known as red pepper flakes) for a nice pop of heat!

Extra-virgin olive oil: It packs so much flavor, making it a must for every Italian pasta recipe!

Pecorino cheese: I use pecorino Romano cheese in this broccoli cavatelli recipe; it’s made from sheep’s milk, and its taste is stronger and slightly saltier than that of Parmesan cheese. However, although different, Parmesan cheese can be used as a substitute for pecorino cheese in this recipe.

Salt & pepper: Bland broccoli? No thanks. Cook the broccoli florets in salted water, then toss them with garlic and olive oil in the skillet. Taste and add extra salt and pepper if needed.

More pasta recipes loaded with veggies?

You’ve got to the right place! I’ve gathered for you a few of my favorite pasta dishes full of flavor and vegetables:

If you make the cavatelli and broccoli recipe, let me know. Please leave a comment and/or rate this recipe. I would love to hear from you guys and get your feedback!

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Print Recipe

Cavatelli and Broccoli

You'll love this cavatelli and broccoli recipe! It's an authentic Italian meal that looks as yummy as it tastes. It's simple, economical, and full of flavor.

Recipe yields 4 servings.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Homemade cavatelli:1

Total Time1 20

Course: pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: cavatelli and broccoli

Servings:

Calories: 432kcal

Author: Katia

Ingredients

Broccoli

2 large heads of broccoli, cut into small florets (see notes)
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced or grated
¼ teaspoon chili flakes, plus more to serve if you wish
fine salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste

Cavatelli

1 lb (450 grams) fresh cavatelli (see notes)

Instructions

Broccoli

Bring a large pot salted water to the boil.
Prep the broccoli: cut the broccoli into small florets. Cut them in halves or quarters until they all look the same in size. You can use the stems too, just peel them and cut them into small bite-sized pieces. Wash florets and stems.
Blanch the broccoli: when the water boils, add the broccoli to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes or until tender but still firm and bright green. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon, set aside and turn the heat off (but reserve pot and cooking water for the Cavatelli pasta).
Heat the olive oil: in a large skillet heat the oil, the garlic and the chili flakes. Make sure to sauté gently until fragrant and slightly golden, about 40 seconds (don't burn it).
Add broccoli to the skillet: toss broccoli until combined and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Smash part of the broccoli with the back of a spoon (I like when some florets gets mushy, but skip this step if you wish). Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper until the flavor pops and add a touch of the cooking water if you need more moisture.
Bring the water to the boil: use the same pot and water you used for the broccoli (make sure the saltiness works for the pasta too) and cook cavatelli until done. The texture should be soft, chewy but still firm to the bite.
Toss to combine and serve: drain the pasta, add it to the broccoli mixture, and toss until well combined. Check again the seasoning, and serve the broccoli pasta with freshly grated pecorino cheese (or parmesan cheese) and an extra drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Notes

Pasta: if you make fresh homemade cavatelli following this recipe, you’ll end up with about 1 lb/450 grams of fresh pasta, which is enough for 4 servings. However, fresh pasta is heavier than dried pasta, so if you want to use dried pasta instead, keep in mind to use about ½ lb or 220-230 grams, or a bit more if you want 4 larger servings.

Broccoli: Although fresh broccoli has the best texture, the recipe works with frozen broccoli, too. Add the frozen broccoli florets to the boiling pasta water, turn off the heat, and let sit for 2 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender-crisp, then proceed according to the recipe.

Storage: cavatelli and broccoli is best enjoyed as fresh as possible, but you can keep any pasta leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. Reheat pasta in microwave or stir fry in a skillet adding a touch of olive oil, stirring well to combine.

Nutrition facts: the nutrition values are for one serving and they are based on an online nutrition calculator. It’s an estimate only and it should not be considered as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. Please see my disclosure policies.