Description
This 30-minute Simple Pasta Con Broccoli recipe is a flavorful, dairy-free pasta dish featuring tender broccoli florets mashed into a creamy vegan mozzarella sauce with garlic and shallots. Perfect for a quick, satisfying meal, it’s enhanced with fresh basil, a squeeze of lemon juice, and topped with vegan parmesan cheese for an extra burst of flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2 1/2 cups broccoli florets (about 2–3 small heads of broccoli)
- 6–7 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Other Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or vegan butter
- 1/2 cup liquid vegan mozzarella
- 1 cup reserved pasta water
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
- 16 ounces homemade or store-bought pasta
- Vegan parmesan cheese, to top
- Squeeze of fresh lemon juice, to finish
Instructions
- Prep: Clean and dice the broccoli into florets. Mince the garlic and shallot. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Boil the broccoli: Add the broccoli florets to the boiling water, cover, and steam for 5-7 minutes until fork tender.
- Sauté garlic and shallots: While broccoli cooks, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots, sauté until lightly browned and aromatic, then reduce heat to low.
- Add broccoli to pan: Remove broccoli with a slotted spoon or colander without discarding the water. Transfer broccoli to the pan with garlic and shallots, increase heat to medium low, and keep the pasta water boiling.
- Cook the pasta: Add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions until al dente.
- Mash broccoli and make sauce: While pasta cooks, mash the broccoli in the pan using a fork or potato masher. Stir in the liquid vegan mozzarella cheese, sea salt, and pepper. Simmer gently.
- Combine pasta and sauce: Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and add it to the broccoli sauce. Drain pasta and add to the sauce pan. Stir well to coat the pasta evenly.
- Season and finish: Adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve topped with vegan parmesan cheese and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for brightness.
- Storage: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Use vegan butter as an alternative to olive oil for a richer flavor.
- If vegan mozzarella is unavailable, substitute with another plant-based cheese sauce or nutritional yeast for creaminess.
- Be careful not to overcook the broccoli during boiling; it should be tender but not mushy.
- Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency and help it cling to the pasta better.
- For extra flavor, add red pepper flakes while sautéing the garlic and shallots.
- Serve immediately for best texture, as the sauce thickens when cooled.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: pasta con broccoli, vegan pasta recipe, dairy free pasta, broccoli pasta, quick pasta dinner, Italian vegan recipes
