Pasta with Broccoli
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This Italian pasta with broccoli is flavorful, packed with tender, superfood broccoli, and topped with crispy breadcrumbs for extra texture. It’s absolutely delish, ready in 30 minutes.
Published on April 2020/Updated on Jan 2025
This week, I’m back with this scrumptious pasta with broccoli, one of the best ways to use up budget-friendly and super-healthy broccoli. Sorry, broccoli soup and broccoli pizza, but this veggie pasta recipe reminds me of my childhood.
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This Italian pasta dish, similar to my cauliflower pasta, is very popular in Southern Italy. I cook it the way my mum used to, with plenty of broccoli, fragrant garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and chili flakes. Just before serving, I garnish with a generous sprinkle of “pangrattato” (toasted breadcrumbs) for flavor and texture.
This humble ingredient, lightly toasted with olive oil until golden, nutty, and crispy, will take your pasta with broccoli to another level. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and BOOM—broccoli has never tasted so good!
We LOVE it so much. It’s so simple, flavor-packed, and satisfying. It’s also similar to my cavatelli with broccoli, another amazing Italian pasta recipe, but this one is easier to make and perfect for a busy weeknight dinner.
But don’t take my word for it—try this pasta with broccoli. I’m sure you’ll love it, too!
list of the ingredients
- Broccoli
- Pasta
- Breadcrumbs
- Garlic
- Chilli flakes
- Olive oil or extra virgin olive oil
- Lemon (optional)
- Salt
How to make pasta with broccoli
(Note: this is a quick description; the full recipe is at the bottom of the page)
- Cut broccoli florets to a similar size and cook them until tender.
- Cook the pasta until al dente, and reserve some pasta cooking water.
- Toast the breadcrumbs until golden and set aside.
- In the same skillet, saute’ garlic and chili flakes until fragrant.
- Add the cooked broccoli and the reserved pasta water. Season to taste.
- Cook for about 3-4 minutes until the broccoli florets break up.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet.
- Toss until well combined, season to taste if needed.
Note: I like my broccoli pretty tender. I love it when it breaks up and coats the pasta, but if you like your broccoli crisp, feel free to reduce the cooking time.
How to serve pasta with broccoli
Garnish with pangrattato and serve! We also like a big squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. If you don’t want to keep it vegan, you can add grated parmesan or pecorino Romano cheese. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Broccoli pasta ingredients
Pasta: I recommend using premium-quality pasta with a coarser and more robust texture. I like rigatoni or orecchiette pasta, but feel free to choose your favourite pasta shapes, from spaghetti to farfalle.
Broccoli: Choose heads with tight, green florets and firm stalks. The cut ends of the stalks should be fresh and moist-looking. Avoid broccoli with dried-out or browning stem ends or yellowing florets (I know, I’m stating the obvious!). And of course, feel free to add more broccoli to the recipe if you like!
Extra virgin olive oil: It’s great for flavor, texture, and nutrition. It’s the best!
Garlic & chilli flakes: Garlic is essential for a sharp, deep flavour (but be careful—it burns easily!). Chilli (red pepper flakes) add heat, but you can skip them if you don’t like spicy food.
Breadcrumbs: Either ordinary breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs are fine. You can also ground stale sandwich bread. I promise toasting the breadcrumbs takes just a few minutes, and it’s so worth it! 😊
Lemon juice: It’s fresh and great for brightening this broccoli pasta recipe. You can also add a bit of lemon zest for a stronger yet delicious lemon flavor.
Salt & pepper: Make sure to season to taste before serving.
How to serve it
- The recipe is vegan and delicious, topped with toasted breadcrumbs and freshly squeezed lemon juice. But if you don’t keep it vegan, you can top it with grated parmesan cheese or pecorino romano for extra savory flavor or mix it with a handful of kalamata olives.
- More protein? Another excellent add-on for non-vegans is pan-fried chicken or salmon on the side.
STORAGE TIPS & LEFTOVERS
Pasta with broccoli leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days . To reheat on the stove or microwave, stir your leftovers with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to revive flavors and texture. My favorite way is panfrying pasta leftovers in a skillet on the stove until the pasta gets crispy.
Veggie pasta recipes you’ll love!
For more vegan or vegetarian pasta recipes packed with vegetables, make sure to check out these recipes:
- 25 Amazing vegan pasta recipes
- Raw cherry tomato pasta
- Tomato basil pasta
- Pasta with zucchini
- Spinach spaghetti
- Leek pasta
- Garlic mushroom pasta
Lastly, I hope you’ll love this pasta with broccoli as much as we do. And if you have any questions, let me know! Leave a comment, send me a message, or rate it. I would love to hear from you!
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Pasta with Broccoli
Ingredients
Pasta
- 7 oz (200 grams) short pasta shapes (fusilli, penne, rigatoni…)
Broccoli
- 1 lb (450 grams) Broccoli, cut into small florets (cut in half the big ones)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ lemon juice, or to taste
Breadcrumbs (optional)
- 3 tablespoon breadcrumbs
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Meanwhile, cut the broccoli into several medium-small florets and wash them.
- Add the broccoli florets to the pot and cook for about 5 minutes or until tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the broccoli florets to a bowl. Don't turn the heat off; keep the water boiling.
- Add the pasta to the same pot and cook until al dente according to the package directions—reserve ½ cups of pasta cooking water.
- Breadcrumbs (optional): In a large skillet, over a low flame, warm ½ tablespoon of olive oil and gently fry the breadcrumbs and a pinch of salt, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes until crisp and golden. Spoon onto a plate and wipe the pan clean.
- In the same skillet, over a low flame, warm the rest of the olive oil and gently fry the garlic and chilli flakes for 1 minute or until fragrant (careful, do not let the garlic burn, or it will be bitter).
- Add the cooked broccoli and ½ cups of pasta water to the skillet. Stir with a spoon and allow to stew over medium heat for another 3-4 minutes. The broccoli will break up during this time. Season to taste.
- Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet; toss until well combined, and taste again before serving. You might need to adjust the seasoning again if needed.
- Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with toasted breadcrumbs, and freshly squeezed lemon juice to lighten up the dish (optional). Add extra chili flakes and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.
So delicious! Rave reviews from the hubs, and the kids even liked it (I reduced the chili flakes considerably, but I bet it would be extra awesome with them)! I was admittedly skeptical about cooking the broccoli for so long, but it was perfect and added creaminess! Zero leftovers, sadly!!!
Ahah awesome feedback, Kim!! It’s great to hear you’ve got zero leftovers, I couldn’t be happier.
Thanks so much for sharing. x
Katia, this recipe was delicious (despite leaving out chili flakes because of young kids) and so fast! Will make again and again. But most importantly I wanted to thank you for a veggie-heavy recipe that my picky (veggie hating) 2 year old actually ate and enjoyed! My 4 year old gobbled it up and had seconds ( normally she is a small eater)!
This recipe is a great springboard for me to see if I can add more types of veggies to the broccoli. Thank you so much!!
Emily, you’ve made my day : )
I’m so happy to hear it was delicious and also the children loved it!
Thanks so much for taking the time to share your lovely feedback. xx
Year and a half later and still going strong with this recipe (my younger one is STILL a veggie hater!). Thank you again! 🙂
That’s awesome, Emily! I’m sooooo pleased to hear that, thanks for your lovely feedback. : )