Creamy Broccoli Pasta (One Pot!)
This Creamy Broccoli Pasta has pasta shells in a buttery Garlic Parmesan Sauce with herbs and lots of broccoli! Add a hint of lemon at the end for the ultimate flavor that your family will love.
Broccoli Pasta
If you’re looking for a clever little trick to get your family to eat their broccoli, then you just found your answer! I like to chop the broccoli up super fine so that it’s not even worth it for my daughter to pick it out. She’s WAY more interested in devouring the shells to worry about the broccoli. 😁
Check out my PRO tips below for different types of pasta options and what you need to do to make sure your sauce is EXTRA creamy.
Want to make this a complete family meal? Serve these creamy shells with some homemade chicken nuggets and some cheesy garlic bread!
How to Make It
Melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add the chicken broth, half and half, and seasonings.
Add the pasta and submerge the shells into the liquid. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and let it bubble gently, partially covered, for 5 minutes.
Run a silicone spatula along the bottom of the pan occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking to it.
Add the broccoli and cook for 2-3 more minutes, or until the pasta has reached your desired level of doneness. The broccoli needs to be finely chopped so that it cooks quickly.
Remove from heat. Add the lemon juice and use a silicone spatula to gently mix in the Parmesan cheese.
Sauce will continue to thicken upon standing. Garnish with parsley and serve with cheesy garlic bread.
Pro Tips
- Chop the broccoli finely so that it cooks fast.
- Grate the cheese from a block so that it melts and tastes the best. Packaged grated or shredded Parmesan cheese contains cellulose to prevent it from clumping together, which also prevents it from melting as well.
- A combination of Parmesan and Romano cheese tastes great as well.
- Don’t add the cheese to a super hot base as this will cause the dairy to separate and the consistency will be grainy instead of smooth.
- Similarly-sized pastas may be substituted, refer to package for approximate cooking time. Examples include Fusilli (spiral) and Farfalle (bowtie).
Storage
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. The consistency of the dairy is altered slightly once reheated but I love heating it in the microwave for a quick lunch!
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- Measuring Spoons– Comes with small spoons that makes it easy to measure out the herbs in this recipe.
- Box Grater– Makes it easy to shred or grate cheese in a variety of sizes. We grate the Parmesan cheese into a fine powder in this recipe, this grater makes it easy.
- 10-inch pan– with lid, the perfect size for this recipe.
Try These Next
- One Pot Broccoli Mac & Cheese
- Cream of Broccoli Soup
- Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
- Ham Casserole
- Salisbury Steak
- Baked Potato Soup
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Tried This Recipe?
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Broccoli Pasta
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/4 cups half and half
- ½ lb. medium pasta shells
- ¼ teaspoons onion powder
- ¼ teaspoons oregano
- ¼ teaspoons thyme
- ¼ teaspoons parsley
- ¼ teaspoons pepper
- 3 cups broccoli, finely chopped (about ½ lb.)
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ¾ cup Parmesan Cheese, finely grated into a powder
Instructions
- Chop the broccoli, grate the cheese, and measure out seasonings prior to beginning.
- Melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the chicken broth, half and half, and seasonings.
- Add the pasta and submerge the shells into the liquid. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and let it bubble gently, partially covered, for 5 minutes. Run a silicone spatula along the bottom of the pan occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking to it.
- Add the broccoli and cook for 2-3 more minutes, or until the pasta has reached your desired level of doneness. (Refer to box for approximate cooking time).
- Remove from heat. Add the lemon juice and use a silicone spatula to gently mix in the Parmesan cheese.
- Sauce will continue to thicken upon standing. Garnish with parsley and serve with cheesy garlic bread.
Notes
Pro Tips
- Chop the broccoli finely so that it cooks fast.
- Grate the cheese from a block so that it melts and tastes the best. Packaged grated or shredded Parmesan cheese contains cellulose to prevent it from clumping together, which also prevents it from melting as well.
- A combination of Parmesan and Romano cheese tastes great as well.
- Don't add the cheese to a super hot base as this will cause the dairy to separate and the consistency will be grainy instead of smooth.
- Similarly-sized pastas may be substituted, refer to package for approximate cooking time. Examples include Fusilli (spiral) and Farfalle (bowtie).
Want to make this a complete family meal? Serve these creamy shells with some homemade chicken nuggets and some cheesy garlic bread!
I am going to make the Garlic & Angel Hair with Broccoli today. We r Italian. This is a fine recipe. TY. I’m elderly & never use recipes. Th a is fine one popped up on my phone. I guess lol the recipe popping up was a sign. I’m anxious to make it but to early now. I want to TY again for the delightful step by step instructions. I will send u a message after we have it today.
TY Susan
I’m so happy you found this too Susan!😃 Glad to hear you found the step by step instructions useful. Enjoy!!!!
Really delicious and simple! I added a diced onion and diced chicken before the garlic step. Will definitely make this one again 😊
I’m so happy to hear you liked the Creamy Broccoli Pasta. It’s great with diced chicken!😋 Thanks so much for the review!
Can I use heavy cream in place of half and half in the creamy Broccoli pasta? Thank you
Hi Donna, yes- that should be fine!
This was an awesome recipe to make with my 5 year old daughter. She asked to help and I always want to let her but sometimes it is quite tricky! I will do this one again with her for sure. She was also able to feel like she was really helping!!!
That’s SO great!! This is definitely a fun one to get the kids to help out with, I do the same thing with my little one! 🙂 So glad that you enjoyed it!
Simple and delicious! Got me out of a jam last night since I didn’t know what to make. Luckily I had most of the ingredients. It was a big hit with the family!
I’m so happy to hear that Ruth! It’s the best feeling when you find a recipe and realize you have the ingredients!😍
This recipe is so easy peasy. Thank you so much CC. I added chicken. Everyone loved it!! Delicious!!!
Excellent! I’m so happy to hear it Dawn, really appreciate the review!! Thank you!!! -Steph 🙂
I made this soup today and it is outstanding!! That couple of teaspoons of lemon at the end of cooking time , just took it over the top, and so easy to put together in one pot..I used my IP..it did a great job..thank you so very much for sharing and I hope you and your family have a very blessed New Year.
That’s SO great to hear Judith, thank you so much for the review, I appreciate it so much. You’re the best! Enjoy the rest of your weekend! -Stephanie