Description
Quick pasta celebrates garlic broccoli olive oil blend with simple Mediterranean flavors. Home cooks can enjoy this light, fresh dish in less than 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ cup (120 milliliters/4 fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
- 8 ounces (226 grams) penne pasta
- 6 cups broccoli florets (fresh or thawed)
- 7 whole and minced garlic cloves (4 whole, smashed; 3 minced)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Sea salt (to taste)
- Fresh black pepper (to taste)
- Grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)
Instructions
- Sauté Base: Warm olive oil in a large pan over medium-low heat, introducing whole garlic cloves and broccoli florets, seasoning with salt and pepper to develop a robust flavor foundation.
- Vegetable Preparation: Cook broccoli and garlic until vegetables become fork-tender, removing whole garlic cloves while maintaining the infused essence in the pan.
- Pasta Cooking: Simultaneously boil salted water and cook pasta until perfectly al dente, typically reaching ideal texture in 8-10 minutes.
- Aromatic Enhancement: Create a flavor center by adding minced garlic and red pepper flakes, allowing them to release their intense fragrance for approximately 2 minutes.
- Combining Elements: Transfer drained pasta directly into the pan, gently tossing to ensure each strand absorbs the savory broccoli and garlic mixture, using reserved pasta water if needed for optimal coating.
- Final Touches: Adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes to personal taste preferences, then plate the pasta and crown with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
- Finishing Flourish: Complete the dish with a graceful drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, adding a luxurious sheen and depth of flavor to the vibrant pasta creation.
Notes
- Garlic Infusion Technique: Remove whole garlic cloves after sautéing to prevent bitter or overpowering flavor while still imparting delicious aromatic essence into the vegetables.
- Pasta Water Magic: Save a small amount of starchy pasta water to help create a silky, cohesive sauce that helps ingredients cling perfectly to pasta strands.
- Temperature Control: Maintain medium-low heat to gently cook broccoli and garlic, preventing burning and ensuring vegetables remain vibrant and tender.
- Flavor Layering: Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes at the end to create a deep, complex taste profile that elevates the entire dish without overwhelming the delicate broccoli and olive oil base.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Boiling, Sautéing, Blending
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 455
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 51 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 5 mg