Garlicky broccoli and cavatelli just like my mom used to make: a fast and easy dish loaded with garlic and Parmesan cheese!
This is straight out of my childhood. Mom made broccoli and cavatelli fairly often, usually as a side dish with grilled meat. So when broccoli appeared in my CSA, it came to mind immediately. We were having dinner at my parents’ and I was bringing a side. Voila! An easy side I knew everyone (except maybe my 9-year-old) would like. And I had a fighting chance at getting her to eat it given the pasta and hefty amounts of cheese.
This is soooooo easy and can even be made ahead. Just warm it up in the microwave. Leftovers are even good cold. I will say the chicken broth adds a ton of flavor, but if you want a vegetarian version, use water or vegetable stock instead. Just make sure your veggie stock doesn’t have tomato.
Love broccoli? Try these:
- Charred broccoli salad with white beans
- Broccoli pasta with sausage and Parmesan
- Vegan broccoli soup
- The best broccoli cheddar soup
- Oven-roasted broccoli
- 1 16-oz. bag frozen cavatelli
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 head broccoli, cut into bit-sized pieces
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
- In a pot of salted water, cook cavatelli to al dente according to directions on the package. Drain and place in a large bowl.
- While cavatelli cooks, heat the olive oil and butter in a large saute pan. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Do not brown.
- Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add broccoli and cover the pan. Simmer for 3 minutes then remove the cover. Continue cooking until broccoli is tender, another 2-3 minutes. Pour broccoli mixture over cavatelli and toss with ½ cup Parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve with extra Parmesan, if desired.
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