Enjoy a dinner date at home with this creamy PASTA CON BROCCOLIÂ that comes together in less than 30 minutes!
I have a great love for Italian food. How can one not love perfectly cooked noodles robbed in a rich creamy sauce?! It’s an absolute dream, especially this Pasta con Broccoli dish!
First off, this is loaded with cream and butter which means you know it’s gonna be good. Second, mushrooms sauteed in butter… I could hardly resist eating them straight out of the pan! Third, it has a hint of tomato from the 1/4 cup of tomato sauce that gives it an extra depth of flavor. Fourth, this takes less than 30 minutes to prepare but tastes like a million bucks. Fifth,… I think you get the point.
This is a great dish to make for an at-home dinner date but it’s also great for the family. I could barely get in a second bite before my two-year-old requested more in her bowl. Even my baby enjoyed sucking on the broccoli. The next step is getting her and her sister to actually chew and swallow those little green trees.
This recipe is actually adapted from the one I grew up eating. I added more mushrooms and broccoli to ya know, balance out all the cream that’s in it. BUT, I swapped out half of the cream for half & half to make it slightly less fattening without sacrificing the great taste and creaminess. Oh, it is so good! No regrets here!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Cavatelli shells
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 2/3 cup mushrooms sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 cup half and half cream
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce
- 1 cup broccoli chopped
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted water for 4 minutes (ladle out a cup of the starchy pasta water and set aside) and then drain.
- Leave pasta in colander and melt 2 tablespoons butter in the the pot. Add the mushrooms and saute for 2 minutes over medium heat. Empty into a bowl and set aside.
- Melt 2 more tablespoons and add the garlic, cooking for 30 seconds. Whisk in the whipping cream, half and half, and tomato sauce. Add the pasta and then bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 4-5 minutes (add the broccoli for the last 2-3 minutes), stirring occasionally.
- When pasta is al dente, remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese. Add a little of the reserved pasta water at a time to thin sauce to desired consistency. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve garnished with more Parmesan.
Nutrition
Liz says
A lovely recipe. Thank you