But broccoli, it's always been a stable fall back. If I'm at the grocery store without a plan (which is too often, I really need to get organized), I will always pick up a couple broccoli florets and a red bell pepper.
1 large head of broccoli (about 10 oz. is what I used)
8 oz. linguine or fettuccine pasta
6 basil leaves
2-3 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Begin by blanching the broccoli just until bright green and softened enough to cut with a fork. Drain from the boiling water and toss in a food processor (or good blender) along with the basil and garlic cloves. Process until well chopped.
In a large saucepan, combine the broccoli mixture, cream, and egg yolks over medium heat. Stir to combine. If you want a thinner sauce, you can add some of the pasta water or more cream. Toss in the drained pasta once it's ready as well as the cheese. Keep stirring over medium heat until the cheese begins to melt and everything is coated in the broccoli sauce.
Credits // Author and Photography: Emma Chapman. Photos edited with A Beautiful Mess actions.
57 Comments
This looks drool-worthy! I love picking up fresh pasta from the store, but it’s always so guilt-ridden since it’s just carbs, carbs, carbs. Adding broccoli is brilliant!
Cat
http://oddlylovely.com
love it!! I just gave a nutrition lecture in which we were talking about ways to eat broccoli, i wish I saw this before hand, I didnt think about putting in a food processor and using it as a sauce.
looks delish!!
love this! it looks amazing and delicious. seems simple to make as well, great for a rookie cook!
I enjoy broccoli and I never tire of pasta dishes! Thanks for the recipe and happy Thursday, Emma 🙂
This recipe looks great…I’m going to give it a try!
Looks amazing! Wish I could eat dairy so bad right now.
This looks so delicious! Perfect for a cozy night!
http://sometimesgracefully.com
Yes, I get the pasta guilt too. Adding all the veggies helps. Also running. I day dream about pasta when I run sometimes. Ha!
-Emma
A nutrition lecture? How cool! Your job sounds super interesting.
-Emma
love so yummy! <3
xo,
alysamadisun.blogspot.com
Haha, I swear food is the only reason I work out. I once saw this water bottle that explained it perfectly: I love to run because I really, really, really, really, really like dessert.
I’ve pinned it and I will definitely try it out! I love pasta and I find myself eating too much of it. I always feel guily afterwards, because pasta itself isn’t very healthy, and most common sauces are rather heavy. That’s why I’m always excited to find a recipe for a more healthy alternative 🙂
Style Standpoint
Yum. What a sneaky way to get some broc into my diet! This looks great.
Yummmy..
http://www.fashiondenis.com
Never thought about a creamy broccoli before.. this looks super yum, and pasta is my fav…so def making this one..
xo
Hems
agoldentulip.blogspot.com
That looks perfect!
http://www.julialundin.com
After discovering I like broccoli about 2 years ago I have been trying to eat it much more and this seems like an even more delicious way to eat it!
daisychurchward.co.uk
This looks amazing. Thank you for the dinner idea. I’ll have to make enough to have lots of leftovers. I guess I’ll have to work out today 🙂
http://www.akacompletemess.com
This looks delicious – looks like tonight’s dinner is sorted! Thanks Emma!
This looks so good! Love the idea of making a sauce with the broccoli. I bet this would be good in casserole form with some panko crumbs on top.
This looks so good! I bet it would be great in casserole form with some panko crumbs on top. Can’t wait to try it out!
Oh wow, this looks amazing. I love broccoli in pasta and creating a sauce from it is even better!
Oh, this looks SO good!
xo
Kristina
http://www.eccentricowl.com
Great idea! I never thought to do a creamy broccoli pasta. I would probably add some chicken to that dish.
wow, this looks so good! i hardly every make broccoli, but it recently popped into my mind that i need to make something with it soon.. definitely going to try this recipe out, thanks for sharing!
this looks so delicious!! every time I go grocery shopping I pick brocoli lol! need to come uo with a plan also ^_^ thanks for sharing this recipe!!
http://itshalo.blogspot.com/
YUM! I love ANYTHING with broccoli and cheese together! Vegetable bake is another one that is AMAZING! I can’t wait to try this though. Looks delicious! I think I can smell it through my computer screen! ha ha 😉
I was JUST looking for dinner inspiration as I head off to the grocery tomorrow. This goes on my list!
I make a pasta similar to this using kale! Looks delicious and I just made your homemade crockpot mac’n cheese recipe last night. Happy Halloween
Seems really delicious x
http://www.wild-cherrytree.com
Yum! Printed and ready to eat.
Thanks for the yummy!
xo
K
This looks delicious!
I am so stealing this — it will totally trick my boyfriend into eating broccoli. Thanks for sharing!
Looks great!
This looks gorgeous! xx
this looks amazing!
xx nikki
http://www.dream-in-neon.com
This sounds so good! A good way to get your broccoli in, and great pics too!
Very cool idea! My husband claims he doesn’t like broccoli, but I bet this would convince him otherwise!
I just made it, and it’s amazing!
Even though I didn’t have basil at home, =(
What a great idea, I’m gonna be making this dish regularly.
Greetings from Colombia,.
Looks awesome!!
Looks super yummy. Broccoli is one of my favorite veggies (next to zucchini) to use with pasta.
rae of love from berlin
Oeh that looks yummie 🙂
X Willemijn Sofie
Amsterdam So Fashion
That looks delicious. Broccoli is a great vegetable to have on hand- I buy it every week, and most of the time it’s just steamed on a quick dinner night. But I’ve put it in just about everything. Never tried pureeing it in a pasta sauce though! I would really like this.
Do you have any recommendations on how to make this without a blender/food processor? I love broccoli, pasta and cheese, so I really want to try this out!
So have to try this, and tonight looks like the perfect night. xx
I’ll happily say I am obsessed wih broccoli. My name is Bec and sometimes I get called Beccolie.. haha. Lovely recipe! Bec x
Yummy!! I usually make creamy avocado pasta (pretty similar to this) so I definitely need to try this recipe. Great post!
If I’m going to use double the pasta should I just go ahead and double the rest of the ingredients as well? Wasn’t sure if there would be enough sauce!
I would double the ingredients so you have enough sauce 🙂 -Jacki
just made this tonight (tagged you on IG) and it turned out so good! I added a little water near the end because it got a little thick. Also used fresh basil from a plant I grown in my house and it was super flavorful. Perfect with the cod filets we bought.
This does look delicious. However. I just made it and you have GOT to be kidding me with that garlic!! I made the recipe exactly as written, except I doubled it for my family of 6. I KNEW that 6 cloves of RAW garlic would be too much. Even as a garlic LOVER (I seriously usually double the garlic in most recipes). So I went ahead and used 3 cloves in my doubled recipe. It was still so completely overwhelming. It literally made the sauce SPICY with how much raw garlic pungency there was. It was awful. Many of us couldn’t finish it. Sorry to be so harsh, but I was pretty frustrated, especially because I knew better.
Could I make it without the eggs? Would olive oil be good enough to hold together the ingredients? You have my attention! Great post.
I can’t handle how good this looks….
http://mademoiselleaventure.blogspot.ca
I made this tonight and it was AMAZING!! I substituted half-and-half for heavy whipping cream because…CALORIES OUT THE YAZOO, but it was amazing! I just added a wee bit more. I also put a small amount of cheese directly in the sauce. We also sauteed chicken breast and mixed that in as well! Overall, it was amazing. Every recipe I make from you guys is amazing!!
Thanks, Emma! Such a yummy recipe! I added a bit of pancetta (my BF is a meat lover) and we had a super hearty meal.
I did this with my immersion blender… Just left a little bit of cooking liquid in the pan before blending it.
My 6 year-old loved this recipe!