Description
Make this broccoli pasta for a delicious weeknight meal!
Ingredients
- Celtic Sea Salt (for pasta water and seasoning)
- 2–3 heads broccoli, or 1 ½ pounds
- 2–3 tablespoons olive oil
- 12 ounces bowtie or penne pasta
- 4–5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 pound frozen peeled and deveined jumbo shrimp, thawed
- 1–2 tablespoons softened butter
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Red pepper flakes
- Juice of half a lemon
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add a generous amount Celtic Sea Salt, about 2 tablespoons.
- Place the whole broccoli heads stem-side down in the boiling water for 45 seconds. Turn the broccoli over and blanch another 15 seconds until bright green and still crisp. Turn off the heat and remove with tongs or a slotted spoon to an ice bath then drain in a colander.
- Teri tip: Roy suggests spinning the broccoli in a salad spinner but I have drained and patted it dry with clean kitchen towels as well. It’s important to get the broccoli as dry as possible so that it cooks properly.
- Pull the florets off of the broccoli heads then cut the florets off of the stems they came off with. Slice the stems thinly, keeping them separate so you have a pile of chopped stems and another pile of florets. If any of the florets are too large, cut them into smaller, one-inch pieces.
- Bring the broccoli-blanching water back up to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions.
- When the pasta has about 8 minutes left to cook, heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the garlic slices and cook for 20-30 seconds. Add the broccoli stems, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for about 4 minutes. Using a large spoon, remove the garlic and stems and set aside on a plate or bowl. Add a little more olive oil, if needed, and the broccoli florets to the Dutch oven. Cook for about 1 minute.
- When the pasta is ready, reserve ½ cup of pasta water. If your pasta isn’t ready, turn off the heat on the broccoli florets and wait for the pasta to finish. Turn the heat back on the Dutch oven as the pasta is just about done.
- Add the shrimp to the Dutch oven with the florets and toss, allowing the shrimp to cook for one minute. Next, using a slotted spoon, transfer the hot pasta directly into the pot with the broccoli and shrimp. Add the sauteed garlic and broccoli stems and give everything a good toss.
- Add 2 tablespoons of softened butter and a couple tablespoons of reserved pasta water to the pan. Turn off the heat and stir in a handful of Parmesan cheese. Gradually add more pasta water and Parmesan as needed, stirring constantly until the sauce becomes smooth and creamy, and the shrimp are cooked through. Sprinkle in red pepper flakes and adjust seasoning to taste. Finish with a squeeze of lemon then serve topped with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of Parmesan and some freshly ground black pepper.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 549
- Sugar: 5.7 g
- Sodium: 965.7 mg
- Fat: 12.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 77.8 g
- Protein: 33.3 g
- Cholesterol: 109.7 mg