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This broccoli casarecce pasta recipe is easy and elegant! Tender broccoli is mixed with casarecce pasta and a creamy sauce before being served with shredded Parmesan and perfectly roasted asparagus.
Looking for a new pasta dinner idea that’s super easy to make, yet feels special? Try this simple broccoli pasta recipe! Casarecce pasta is tossed in a creamy sauce with garlicky broccoli, then served with oven-roasted asparagus. My family loves this simple pasta recipe!
Why You’ll Love this Broccoli Pasta Recipe
- Easy. You won’t need any complicated techniques to make this simple pasta dinner. If you can’t find casarecce pasta you can easily use your favorite shape.
- Creamy. A simple sauce is made with milk and cheese, then tossed with the cooked noodles. It perfectly coats the casarecce pasta and broccoli for an ultra-flavorful bite.
- Flexible. You can add other kinds of veggies or even cooked chicken to this recipe! More info on variations ideas below.
What You’ll Need
Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need to make this broccoli pasta recipe. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for specific amounts.
- Casarecce pasta – Any kind of pasta works if you can’t find this shape. I especially like cavatappi, macaroni noodles or penne if I don’t have casarecce pasta on hand.
- Broccoli florets – Cut large florets into smaller ones. You can use one large head of broccoli and cut off the florets, or you can buy a bag of broccoli florets.
- Olive oil
- Unsalted butter
- All-purpose flour – We’ll use this to thicken the creamy sauce.
- Gloves – Finely minced.
- Herbs – Dry thyme and sage
- Vegetable broth – You can also use chicken broth.
- Fresh lemon juice – Don’t use bottled juice.
- Whole milk – You can also use half and half.
- Parmesan cheese – Shredded.
- Kosher salt and black pepper
What is Casarecce Pasta?
Casarecce are short pasta noodles from Sicily with grooves down the center and curled edges. Each piece of pasta looks a bit like a rolled-up old-timey piece of parchment. “Casarecce” (pronounced cah-sah-ret-chay) means “homemade.” Originally, the shape was created by rolling pasta dough around a thin wooden pin or metal rod, then cutting the pasta into shorter pieces of dough. I love cooking with casarecce. Whatever sauce I’m using goes into the groove of each piece of pasta, so every bite has tons of flavor.
Where Can I Find It?
You can usually find this pasta shape at specialty markets, which is where I found it. We have a tiny hole-in-the-wall shop that carries all sorts of less common ingredients. You can also find it online.
How to Make Broccoli Casarecce Pasta
Ready to make this creamy broccoli pasta recipe? Here’s how to do it:
- Prep your tools. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
- Cook the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Set aside. You will use this same pot to make the sauce later.
- While the pasta is cooking, prepare the broccoli. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the broccoli. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and a few shakes of black pepper. Give it a good stir to coat the broccoli florets in the garlic butter. Raise the heat to medium and add 1/2 cup of water. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is tender, bright green and the liquid has evaporated. Set aside.
- Begin making the sauce. In the pot where you cooked the pasta warm the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook stirring constantly, for about 1-2 minutes, until it has a slightly nutty aroma and is very light golden in color.
- Add the remaining garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the thyme and sage, cook for another 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the broth and bring the mixture to a slow simmer.
- Add the lemon juice and milk to the sauce. With a whisk, gently incorporate everything. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Melt the cheese. Reduce the temperature to medium-low. Add the cheese to the milk mixture and whisk gently until it melts.
- Carefully add the cooked pasta. Give it a good stir. Let the pasta and sauce simmer for about 4-5 minutes, until the pasta has absorbed some fo the sauce.
- Add the broccoli. Mix the cooked broccoli into the pasta, being careful not to add any additional liquid to the sauce. Cook for another 4-5 minutes, until the broccoli has warmed up.
- Serve. Serve the pasta along with asparagus spears. Sprinkle both the pasta and the asparagus with a bit of shredded parmesan cheese.
Variation Ideas
One of the best things about this simple pasta recipe is how flexible it is. Here are some of my favorite variation ideas:
- Add more veggies. In addition to the broccoli, you can also add cooked peas, lightly sautéed kale, or even cooked baby spinach to this recipe. Add up to 1 cup of cooked veggies to the pasta in the step where the broccoli is added to the sauce and noodles.
- Use different pasta shapes. If you can’t find casarecce pasta you can use an equal amount of your favorite shape. I prefer short noodles for this recipe, like cavatappi, penne, macaroni, or ziti.
- Add bacon. Add diced, cooked bacon to the pasta for a crispy, salty addition.
Want to Make this Chicken Broccoli Pasta?
If you would like to add chicken to this recipe that is super easy! Simply add shredded cooked chicken in the step where the broccoli and pasta are tossed together. Here are some ways to prepare the chicken:
- Rotisserie chicken. The simplest way is to buy a rotisserie chicken at the market, then shred your desired amount of meat and add it to the pasta.
- Instant Pot. Cook chicken thighs or breasts in your Instant Pot according to the instructions in my Million Dollar Chicken recipe.
- Oven. Roast chicken thighs in the oven using the directions in my White Chicken Lasagna recipe.
Serving Suggestions
I usually serve this broccoli pasta with roasted asparagus, as shown in the video above. Some other tasty pairings include:
- Apple Walnut Spring Mix Salad – This is my family’s all-time favorite salad, which I make at least 3-4 times a week.
- Delicata Squash – In the autumn months, this roasted delicata squash is delicious!
- Buttermilk Biscuits – One can never go wrong with tender, fluffy, perfectly golden biscuits.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge: Let your pasta cool, then transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe.
- To Reheat: Warm single servings in the microwave for about 1 min 30 seconds, stirring halfway through, until the pasta reaches your desired temperature. You can also reheat the pasta on the stovetop in a small pot over low heat, stirring frequently until the pasta is warmed through.
More Pasta Dinner Ideas
Broccoli Cassacare Pasta
This easy broccoli pasta recipe is made with casarecce pasta, a creamy sauce and tender cooked broccoli.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces casarecce pasta
- 12 ounce broccoli florets, cut into small florets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided use
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 3 garlic cloves, minced, divided use
- ½ teaspoon dry thyme
- ½ teaspoon dry sage
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prep your tools. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
- Cook the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Set aside. You will use this same pot to make the sauce later.
- While the pasta is cooking, prepare the broccoli. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute until fragrant. Add the broccoli. Season with a pinch of kosher salt and a few shakes of black pepper. Give it a good stir to coat the broccoli florets in the garlic butter. Raise the heat to medium and add 1/2 cup of water. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is tender, bright green and the liquid has evaporated. Set aside.
- Begin making the sauce. In the pot where you cooked the pasta warm the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook stirring constantly, for about 1-2 minutes, until it has a slightly nutty aroma and is very light golden in color.
- Add the remaining garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the thyme and sage, cook for another 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the broth and bring the mixture to a slow simmer.
- Add the lemon juice and milk to the sauce. With a whisk, gently incorporate everything. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Melt the cheese. Reduce the temperature to medium-low. Add the cheese to the milk mixture and whisk gently until it melts.
- Carefully add the cooked pasta. Give it a good stir. Let the pasta and sauce simmer for about 4-5 minutes, until the pasta has absorbed some fo the sauce.
- Add the broccoli. Mix the cooked broccoli into the pasta, being careful not to add any additional liquid to the sauce. Cook for another 4-5 minutes, until the broccoli has warmed up.
- Serve. Sprinkle with shredded parmesan cheese and dig in. We like to serve this pasta recipe with a side of roasted asparagus. (See separate asparagus recipe.)
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Nutrition
Calories: 406kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 341mg | Potassium: 392mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 808IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 167mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
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