Nutritious Broccoli and Sausage Cream Pasta
Nutritious Broccoli and Sausage Cream Pasta
Broccoli Cream Pasta: More Broccoli… Sausages are a Bonus!
This cream pasta was made to help us eat more of the healthy broccoli. Even children who dislike broccoli eat it well.
Ingredients- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 onion, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 cups blanched broccoli florets
- 1.5 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
- Dried chili pepper (optional, to taste)
- 150g spaghetti
- 1 Tbsp coarse salt (for pasta water)
- Sausages (optional)
- Black pepper to taste
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
In a pan, heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil and 1 Tbsp of unsalted butter over medium-low heat. Add 5 minced garlic cloves and 1/4 finely chopped onion. Sauté until the garlic is fragrant and the onion becomes translucent, being careful not to burn the garlic.
Step 2
Once the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant, add 3 cups of blanched broccoli florets to the pan. Stir-fry them together until they are lightly cooked and well combined with the aromatics. (Tip: Feel free to add even more broccoli if you love it!)
Step 3
Increase the heat to medium, then pour in 1.5 cups of heavy cream and 1 cup of milk. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low and let it cook until it reaches your desired sauce consistency. (Tip: You can adjust the thickness by adding more cream or milk according to your preference.)
Step 4
For a smoother texture, you can use an immersion blender to purée the sauce. This is a great way to incorporate more broccoli into your diet. (Note: If you prefer a chunkier sauce or didn’t use a large amount of broccoli, you can skip this step.)
Step 5
While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 Tbsp of coarse salt to the boiling water. Add 150g of spaghetti and cook for 1-2 minutes less than the time indicated on the package instructions. (Tip: Start boiling the pasta water as soon as you begin preparing the sauce to save time.)
Step 6
Drain the al dente spaghetti, reserving a little pasta water if desired, and add it directly to the pan with the cream sauce. The starch from the pasta will help thicken and emulsify the sauce.
Step 7
Add 1 tsp of salt (or to your taste) and optional dried chili pepper to the sauce. Toss everything together until the pasta is well coated with the creamy sauce. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, allowing the pasta to absorb the flavors.
Step 8
Serve the pasta on a plate. If using sausages, you can boil them in the pasta water briefly before slicing and arranging them on top of the pasta. Season with a grind of black pepper. Enjoy your delicious and nutritious broccoli and sausage cream pasta!
