Name: Broccoli Mozzarella Pasta
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 4 cups broccoli florets; 10 ounces rotini pasta (about 2 ½ cups); 4 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 garlic cloves (finely minced); ½ teaspoon salt (or more to taste); 1 cup heavy cream; 1 cup parmesan cheese (shredded off the block); 1 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded off the block)

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Try our delicious Broccoli Mozzarella Pasta! Simple to prepare, it features tender broccoli and a flavorful parmesan cheese sauce. Perfect for meatless meals or when you need comfort food fast, it’s a great weeknight dinner option.

Top down view of broccoli and pasta in a pan.

This cheesy broccoli pasta is light, flavorful, and perfect for those times when you want a vegetarian meal. It only takes a few minutes to prep and about 20 minutes to cook, so you’ll have tasty veggie pasta in no time!

A few of our other favorite pasta dishes are Bow Tie Ham and Peas Pasta, One-Pot Mushroom Pesto Pasta, and Creamy Mushroom Broccoli Pasta.

Creamy Broccoli and Mozzarella Pasta

If you have people in your family that are on the fence about eating broccoli, pasta is a great vehicle to help ease them into it. Our creamy mozzarella broccoli pasta is the perfect dish to do just that.

It starts with a sauce made with Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Toss in some tender broccoli florets and perfectly cooked fusilli or rotini noodles, and you have the ultimate cheesy comfort food in a bowl.

This pasta dish is so easy to make and even easier to customize. You can use your favorite noodles and even switch up the type of cheese.

How to Make Broccoli Mozzarella Pasta

Steam or blanch the broccoli using your preferred method until tender and bright green. Set aside.
Boil a pot of salted water, cook the pasta per package instructions. Drain, rinse with cool water, then drain again.
In a large skillet, melt the butter over low-medium heat. Add the garlic and salt, and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the heavy cream, parmesan, and mozzarella to the pan. Cook until cheese is fully melted, about 3-5 minutes.

Top down view cream sauce and shredded cheese in a pan.

Add the broccoli to the cheese sauce, mix, then add noodles and stir until coated.
Serve warm with extra cheese and Italian bread.

Top down view of pasta noodles on top of cream sauce with broccoli.

Quick Tips

Tips

Pasta: We love rotini or fusilli for this recipe, but any short noodle will work. Penne, ziti, cavatappi, or bow-tie would be great options.
Cheese: Parmesan adds a wonderful flavor and mozzarella is extra cheesy and light. If you’d rather do something like Gouda, Gruyere, or even cheddar, those would all taste great.
Extra Sauce: To make this dish super creamy, make a an extra half batch of sauce or cut back the noodles and broccoli.
Add-Ins: Crispy bacon pieces, diced ham, leftover chicken, sauteed asparagus, peas, Italian sausage, or roasted garlic would be great options.
Heavy Cream: Heavy cream is the way to go here! It’s thick, has a nice fat content, and won’t separate as easily as milk. Make sure it doesn’t come to a boil, or you do run the risk of “breaking” the cream.

Storage Recommendations

Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freezer: We do not recommend freezing this pasta.

Reheating: Reheat on the stove over low heat until warm. Add some milk to loosen the sauce, if needed.

FAQs

Certainly! To transform this into a creamy broccoli pasta bake, undercook the noodles slightly and make a little extra sauce. After mixing the noodles with the broccoli and cheese sauce, transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish.

Sprinkle a layer of breadcrumbs and additional parmesan cheese on top for a crispy finish. Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for about 20-25 minutes until the top is golden and bubbly. Let it cool for a few minutes before serving.

You can even add pre-cooked chicken, sausage, or shrimp for added protein and flavor.

Absolutely! Cooking the broccoli and pasta together in the same pot is perfect if you want to blanch the broccoli, and it adds extra flavor to the pasta.

Start by boiling your pasta as per the package instructions. A few minutes before the pasta is al dente, add the broccoli florets to the boiling water. This way, the broccoli will be perfectly tender by the time the pasta is cooked.

Drain them together and proceed with the rest of the recipe. It’s a simple trick that saves time and allows the pasta to pick up some of the flavors from the broccoli.

Other Pasta Recipes to Try:

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