Orecchiette Pasta with Broccoli
Use the camera icon to toggle the step-by-step photos on and off. A super easy and delicious broccoli pasta with garlic, chilli and fresh lemon.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 14 oz (400g) orecchiette pasta (or other short pasta shape)
- 1 large broccoli
- 1 shallot
- ½-1 fresh red chilli (use between 1/2-1 whole chilli depending on taste)
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 cups (500ml) vegetable stock (can also use chicken stock)
- 3-4 tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano finely grated
- Fresh lemon juice
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- reserved pasta water
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well.
- Cut the stalk from the broccoli and trim the tough outer layer with a knife or vegetable peeler. Finely chop the rest of the stalk, then chop the florets into small to medium-sized pieces. Set aside (photo 1).
- Meanwhile, finely chop the shallot, garlic and chilli. Heat a large pan on a medium-low heat and add around 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the shallot, garlic and chilli and saute for 2-3 minutes until softened (photos 2 and 3).
- Next, stir in the chopped broccoli and add 2 cups (500ml) of vegetable stock. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer on a medium heat for 15 minutes (photo 4). After 10 minutes of cooking the broccoli, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente.
- After 15 minutes, remove the lid and simmer for a further 5 minutes or until the pasta is cooked. The broccoli should be soft and starting to break down. If there is not much liquid left in the pan, add around ½ cup (125ml) of pasta water to emulsify it (photo 5).
- Once the pasta is cooked, transfer it to the broccoli, stirring to coat it in the sauce. Add more pasta water if needed (I usually add another ½ cup (125ml) at this point) (photo 6).
- Turn off the heat and add 3-4 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and stir it in until melted. Finally, add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and serve.
Notes
- Chilli - the heat/spiciness of fresh red chillies vary so you can opt to use between 1/2 to a whole red chilli depending on your tolerance. I like to deseed my chilli and remove the white membrane inside. You can also use dried chilli flakes instead.
- Storage - will keep well in the fridge for 1-2 days. The pasta can be eaten cold, at room temperature or reheated on the stove until hot. Add more water to emulsify the sauce as you are reheating it.
Nutrition
Calories: 451kcal | Carbohydrates: 88g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 591mg | Potassium: 765mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1336IU | Vitamin C: 152mg | Calcium: 142mg | Iron: 3mg
