Description
Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with this rich and creamy vegetarian broccoli cheddar pasta. A luscious cheese sauce coats al dente pasta and tender-crisp broccoli for a delightful dish that will satisfy all your cravings.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta:
- 1 pound (450g) Pasta of your choice
Broccoli:
- 1 large head of Broccoli (about 1.5 lbs or 680g), cut into small florets
Cheese Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 1 medium Yellow Onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 2 cups Vegetable Broth
- 1.5 cups Milk (whole milk or 2% recommended)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper to taste
- 8 ounces (225g) Sharp Cheddar Cheese, freshly grated
- 4 ounces (113g) Cream Cheese, cut into cubes (optional)
- Fresh Parsley, chopped (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente.
- Blanch the Broccoli: Add broccoli to the boiling pasta water about 3-4 minutes before pasta is done.
- Reserve Pasta Water and Drain: Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and broccoli.
- Sauté Aromatics: Melt butter, sauté onion, garlic, and paprika.
- Make the Roux: Sprinkle flour over aromatics, cook to form a roux.
- Build the Sauce Base: Whisk in broth and milk gradually.
- Simmer and Thicken: Simmer until sauce thickens.
- Add Flavor Enhancers: Stir in mustard and season with salt and pepper.
- Melt the Cheese: Add cheddar and cream cheese, stir until melted.
- Combine and Serve: Add pasta and broccoli to sauce, mix well.
- Garnish and Enjoy: Serve garnished with parsley and black pepper.
Notes
- For a quicker version, you can use pre-cut broccoli florets and pre-shredded cheese, but fresh ingredients yield the best results.
- Experiment with different cheeses like Gruyère or fontina for unique flavor twists.
- This dish reheats well, but add a splash of milk when reheating to maintain creaminess.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 320g)
- Calories: 490
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 57g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
Keywords: Creamy, Vegetarian, Broccoli, Cheddar, Pasta, Comfort Food
