Hello and welcome to Kelly’s Kitchen! Today’s recipe is one of those standout dishes that only come around once in a while. I have made so many pasta dishes for Djalali Cooks and it’s been a long while since I made a pasta dish that is so distinctive and unexpected. This Creamy Broccoli Pasta is a recipe I found in the recent issue of Cook’s Illustrated, and on par with so many of their recipes, this is a winner! Let’s get to it.
The Summary
Today we are making Creamy Broccoli Pasta
Be sure to find the shoppable key ingredients and equipment
Creamy Broccoli Pasta
Creamy Broccoli Pasta Ingredients
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
½ cup panko bread crumbs
⅛ tsp. plus 2 teaspoons table salt, divided, plus salt for cooking broccoli and pasta
⅛ tsp. plus 1 teaspoon pepper, divided
1 ½ lbs. broccoli, florets cut into 1-inch pieces, stalks cut into ½ -inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 lb. penne, rigatoni, or other short tubular pasta
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 oz. Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (½ cup), plus extra for serving
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
1 tsp. grated lemon zest, plus 2 tbsp. juice
2 anchovy fillets (optional)
How to Prepare Creamy Broccoli Pasta
Step 1
Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in a large pot. While water is coming to a boil, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add panko and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Off heat, stir in ⅛ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Transfer panko to a plate to cool.
Step 2
Add broccoli stalks, garlic, and 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until stalks are tender, about 6 minutes. Using a spider skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer stalks and garlic to blender; set aside.
Step 3
Return water to boil. Add florets and cook until bright green and tender, about 3 minutes. Using a spider skimmer, transfer two-thirds of the florets to a bowl. Transfer remaining florets to blender with stalks and garlic. Return water to boil, add pasta, and cook, stirring often, until al dente.
Step 4
While pasta cooks, add basil; yogurt; Pecorino; pine nuts; lemon zest and juice; anchovies, if using; and remaining ½ cup oil, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to blender and process until mixture resembles pesto, about 20 seconds, scraping down sides of blender jar. With blender running, slowly add ½ cup water and process until sauce is smooth and thick but fluid, about 20 seconds, adding additional water as needed.
Step 5
Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Off heat, add sauce and reserved florets, and stir gently to combine. Adjust consistency with reserved cooking water as needed.
Step 6
Season with salt to taste, and serve immediately. Top individual portions with toasted panko, Pecorino, and lemon zest (if desired).
As I mentioned at the top, this Creamy Broccoli Pasta will knock your socks off! I love that it uses yogurt instead of heavy cream – especially since my stomach doesn’t handle heavy cream well. If you have kids who aren’t into broccoli, this dish might just change their minds! I hope you give this one a try, it’s amazing. Take care and be well, xo Kelly
Tips for Preparing Creamy Broccoli Pasta
1. Don’t skip the anchovies, even if you don’t like anchovies. The anchovies bring this dish a robust umami flavor that is unbeatable. You will not taste any fishiness.
2. Zest extra lemon to use as a topping to finish each plate. The bright sharpness of the lemon zest adds a little brightness and balance.
3. If getting perfectly al dente pasta eludes you, hold off on cooking the pasta until after you make the sauce, so you can give the pasta cooking your full attention.
4. Be sure to use a tubular pasta shape so the sauce fills each piece of pasta!
Key Ingredients and Equipment
Adjustable Measuring Cup | Bench Scraper | Silicone Spoons | Joseph Joseph 9-Piece Nested Bowl Set | Spider Skimmer | Vitamix Blender | Microplane Zester
Be sure to visit and bookmark Beth’s Amazon Shopfront for more recommended items – from tabletop and kitchen, to travel and home essentials.
Creamy Broccoli Pasta
Ingredients:
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil divided
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- ⅛ tsp. plus 2 teaspoons table salt divided, plus salt for cooking broccoli and pasta
- ⅛ tsp. plus 1 teaspoon pepper divided
- 1 ½ lbs. broccoli florets cut into 1-inch pieces, stalks cut into ½ -inch pieces
- 2 garlic cloves smashed and peeled
- 1 lb. penne rigatoni, or other short tubular pasta
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 oz. Pecorino Romano cheese grated (½ cup), plus extra for serving
- ¼ cup pine nuts toasted
- 1 tsp. grated lemon zest plus 2 tbsp. juice
- 2 anchovy fillets optional
Instructions:
- Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in a large pot. While water is coming to a boil, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add panko and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Off heat, stir in ⅛ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper. Transfer panko to a plate to cool.
- Add broccoli stalks, garlic, and 1 tablespoon salt to boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until stalks are tender, about 6 minutes. Using a spider skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer stalks and garlic to blender; set aside.
- Return water to boil. Add florets and cook until bright green and tender, about 3 minutes. Using a spider skimmer, transfer two-thirds of the florets to a bowl. Transfer remaining florets to blender with stalks and garlic. Return water to boil, add pasta, and cook, stirring often, until al dente.
- While pasta cooks, add basil; yogurt; Pecorino; pine nuts; lemon zest and juice; anchovies, if using; and remaining ½ cup oil, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to blender and process until mixture resembles pesto, about 20 seconds, scraping down sides of blender jar.
- With blender running, slowly add ½ cup water and process until sauce is smooth and thick but fluid, about 20 seconds, adding additional water as needed.
- Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Off heat, add sauce and reserved florets, and stir gently to combine. Adjust consistency with reserved cooking water as needed. Season with salt to taste, and serve immediately, passing panko and extra Pecorino separately.
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