Garlic Parmesan Pasta with Roasted Broccoli

If your family eats a lot of pasta but needs a break from red sauce, this Garlic Parmesan Pasta with Roasted Broccoli is a delicious alternative. The parmesan and broccoli add protein, and the sauce is flavorful.

Red sauce is great, but sometimes, we must change things up! With grocery prices rising, we’re eating more pasta these days, and I’ve been experimenting with new ways to enjoy it. This Garlic Parmesan Pasta with Roasted Broccoli was a big hit here and makes a great addition to your weekly meal plan.

Pasta and broccoli are a classic vegetarian combination, so I thought putting a little twist on that would be fun. Roasted broccoli has much more flavor than steamed broccoli and is a great way to add plant-based protein to your meal.  

Garlic Parmesan Pasta with Roasted Broccoli Recipe Ingredients

• Pasta – You can use any kind of pasta you like for this recipe. I recommend something that’s bite-sized because the broccoli is cut small. It’s also nice to use a noodle with some crevices, like these medium-sized shells, for the sauce to fill. Gluten-free pasta can easily be substituted for wheat pasta.
• Broccoli – I used fresh broccoli, but you can also use frozen for this recipe.  I like to cut the broccoli into pretty small pieces for this recipe, so if using frozen or pre-chopped, you may need to chop them up a little more. The broccoli is roasted with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
• Garlic Parmesan Sauce – This garlic Parmesan sauce comprises grated parmesan cheese, olive oil (or melted butter), soy sauce, fresh garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper.  
• Lemon – Fresh lemon juice is optional in this recipe but recommended! You can squeeze lemon over the entire pasta pot, or each person can add their own to their individual portion.

Why Your Body Will Love This Pasta

• Heart Health – The fiber in broccoli helps us maintain healthy blood sugar and cholesterol levels. (It’s also great for the digestive system.)
• Immune System Support – Broccoli contains a good amount of Vitamin A, which helps the body fight infections and keeps the immune system healthy, along with many antioxidants.
• Muscle Health – Both broccoli and parmesan are vegetarian sources of protein, which is vital to our muscles and helps satisfy our hunger.

How To Make This Easy Garlic Parmesan Pasta with Roasted Broccoli

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Fill a large pot with water and place over high heat. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Just before draining, reserve about a cup of the hot pasta water. Add drained pasta back into the pot.
2. Add chopped broccoli to a large sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss everything with your hands and ensure all the broccoli is coated. Roast broccoli until tender and starting to brown, 15-20 mins.  
3. After you put the broccoli into the oven, make your sauce so it’s ready to pour on the pasta as soon as the hot pasta is added back to the pot. Add the parmesan, olive oil, tamari, dried oregano, salt, and pepper to a medium-sized bowl and mix together well to make the sauce. I usually just add a pinch or two of salt and pepper and then add more at the end after I’ve tasted the pasta.
4. Pour the sauce over the hot pasta and mix well. If you need to loosen up your sauce, add some reserved pasta water and mix again. Add roasted broccoli, mix to combine, and add extra salt and pepper if needed. You can add a big squeeze of fresh lemon to the entire pot or serve individual portions with a slice of lemon so people can squeeze their own. Lemon is optional.

Garlic Parmesan Pasta Recipe Frequently Asked Questions

• Is this recipe vegan?  No, I used regular parmesan, but you can easily use a vegan parmesan or sprinkle in some nutritional yeast.
• Is this recipe gluten-free? No, but you can easily substitute gluten-free pasta.
• What type of pasta is best to use in this recipe? I recommend a bite-size pasta, and these shells were great because the parmesan sauce gets stuck inside for a fun bite.
• Should I cut the broccoli into small pieces or leave it large? I like to cut my broccoli small for this recipe because it will roast more quickly when smaller, and I like to cut down on cooking time. The broccoli is also really delicious when browned and caramelized, and it’s easier for that to happen if the pieces are small; they have more surface area. Finally, since there aren’t many ingredients in this recipe, you just have pasta and broccoli, so it’s nice to get a bite of each in every spoonful. It’s easier to do that if the broccoli is small.
• How long will leftovers last in the refrigerator? Leftovers should be good for about four days if stored in an airtight container. Reheat leftovers in the microwave or stovetop, in a pan, with some cooking spray or olive oil.

Have a question I didn’t answer?  Ask me in the comment section below, and I will reply ASAP!

Looking For More Easy Vegetarian Pasta Recipes?

Spicy Baked Pasta with Vegetarian Meatballs

Lemon Garlic Pasta with Kale

Tofu Broccoli Pasta

Spinach Feta Baked Pasta

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta

Garlic Parmesan Pasta with Roasted Broccoli

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4 from 2 reviews

• Author: She Likes Food
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 1x
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

If your family eats a lot of pasta but needs a break from red sauce, this Garlic Parmesan Pasta with Roasted Broccoli is a delicious alternative!  The parmesan and broccoli add protein and the sauce is packed with flavor.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 lb (16 oz) dried pasta, bite size is best and the shells were great because some of the sauce got caught inside
• 4–6 cup small chopped broccoli, I like to chop mine pretty small (I like to add lots of broccoli to this recipe, but if you want to go light just add about 4 cups.)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (like you would shake on a pizza)
• 1/4 cup olive oil, or melted butter
• 2–3 cloves garlic, use as much as you like!  I would suggest grating your garlic on a microplane so it will cook quickly when it’s added into the hot pasta.  If you don’t have a microplane, just try to mince it very finely.
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce, or tamari (you can leave out and just add a little extra salt if you like)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Extra olive oil for roasting broccoli

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Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.  Fill a large pot with water and place over high heat.  Once boiling, add the pasta and cook according to package directions.  Just before draining, reserve about a cup of the hot pasta water.  Add drained pasta back into pot.
2. Add chopped broccoli to a large sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil (1-2 tbsp) and sprinkle with salt (1/2 tsp) and pepper (1/2 tsp).  Toss everything together with your hands and make sure all the broccoli is coated.  Roast broccoli until tender and starting to brown, 15-20 mins.
3. Right after you put the broccoli into the oven, make your sauce so it’s ready to pour on the pasta as soon as the hot pasta is added back to the pot.  To make the sauce, add the parmesan, olive oil, tamari, dried oregano, salt and pepper to a medium sized bowl and mix together well.  I usually just add a pinch or two of salt and pepper and then add more at the end after I’ve tasted the pasta.
4. Pour the sauce over the hot pasta and mix well.  If you need to loosen up your sauce, just add a little bit of the reserved pasta water and mix again.  Add roasted broccoli, mix to combine, add extra salt and pepper if needed.  You can either add a big squeeze of fresh lemon to the entire pot, or serve individual portions with a slice of lemon so people can squeeze their own.  This is only if desired, you don’t have to add lemon!

• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Category: Dinner, Vegetarian
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American