This one-pan broccoli pasta recipe has been a mainstay on our table for years. I make it at least twice a month, and my kids LOVE it!!

One-pan broccoli pasta recipe
This easy broccoli pasta recipe turned my oldest daughter Ella from a staunch broccoli hater to a broccoli lover. Broccoli gets sautéed with garlic, shallots and anchovies (which you won’t taste, but which add depth of flavor) then is tossed with pasta and gremolata, an Italian condiment of chopped herbs, garlic and lemon zest. Gremolata is most typically served over meat (think osso buco), but here it lends a burst of bright flavor, transforming the simple pasta into something special. A big handful of salty Pecorino cheese ties everything together. It’s SO GOOD!

Broccoli pasta that will change lives… or at least minds
From the moment Ella could eat solid foods she hated the little “green trees.” That is, until she tried this pasta when she was six years old. It was a lightbulb moment for her (and a glorious “OMG I’m winning at parenting!” moment for me). With its garlicky olive oil sauce and grated salty cheese, the broccoli is completely irresistible.

Easy broccoli pasta with gremolata
The gremolata transforms the broccoli pasta into something special, brightening it up like a pair of sparkly earrings. To make it, simply pile parsley, garlic, lemon zest and pine nuts on a cutting board, then chop them all together until everything is evenly incorporated and finely chopped.


The gremolata is also fantastic on fish and meats, or sprinkled over soups and stews!

This throw-together, one dish dinner is a family favorite, and I hope you’ll love it too!
How to Make Broccoli Pasta (tips):
- Chop the broccoli before cooking the shallots and garlic, since they go fast. Be sure to chop the florets nice and small so that they cook quickly.
- Don’t toss those stems! Broccoli stems are deliciously mild and crunchy. Use your knife to slice away the tough outer skin, then chop the tender inner stem.

- You can eat the leaves too! Broccoli leaves are delicious, with a flavor similar to baby kale. Throw them in!
- Don’t be afraid of the anchovies in this dish, they lend an umami savoriness, but you won’t really taste them. That being said, you can always omit them if you must (or add more if you’re a fan!).
- The gremolata is what makes this dish, lending it vibrancy and texture. It’s also awesome over roasted fish, chicken, braised meats, and/or vegetables. In my book, Build-a-Bowl, I sprinkle it over roasted Brussels sprouts and mushrooms with goat cheese… SWOON! (Get the book here.)
- You’ll need a microplane to zest the lemon in this recipe.
For another easy broccoli pasta recipe, try this Creamy Pasta Bake (pictured below!).

Don’t miss these other recipes that have converted veggie skeptics into veggie lovers (i.e. my kids!):
- Creamy (Vegan!) Swiss Chard Gratin
- Sweet Potato Souffle
- Roasted Cabbage with Bacon Vinaigrette
- Roasted Acorn Squash Wedges with Brown Butter Sauce
- Easy Ratatouille
- Slow Roasted Peppers and Onions
- Red Cabbage and Sweet Corn Coleslaw
Get the recipe!
(My Kid Loves) Broccoli Pasta
Ingredients
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1 medium shallot, minced (2 tablespoons minced)
- 4 large garlic cloves, 3 thinly sliced and 1 minced
- 2-3 anchovy filets (to taste), rinsed and coarsely chopped
- 1 ½ pounds broccoli (about 1 large bunch), cut into small florets, stems peeled and diced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
- ½ cup lightly packed parsley leaves
- Zest from 1 lemon
- 1 pound penne or other shaped pasta (gluten-free or regular)
- 1 cup coarsely grated Pecorino Romano, plus more for serving
- Red pepper flakes, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- In the meantime, place the pine nuts in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
- In the same skillet, add the olive oil, shallot, sliced garlic (reserve the minced garlic) and anchovies. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the shallots and garlic are fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the broccoli and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is lightly caramelized and tender, about 6 minutes. Add the sherry vinegar and toss to coat. Remove the pan from the heat and keep warm.
- Pile the parsley, lemon zest, toasted pine nuts, and the reserved minced garlic clove on a cutting board. Season with salt and pepper. Chop everything together to make the gremolata—the parsley should be fairly well chopped.
- Once the water reaches a boil, season it with salt and add the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until just shy of al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of the cooking liquid, then drain.
- Transfer the pasta to the skillet with the broccoli, along with ½ cup of the reserved cooking water. Place the pan over medium heat and cook, stirring, until the water is reduced and coats the pasta, about 1-2 minutes (add more of the water as needed if the dish looks dry). Remove the pan from the heat and add the gremolata, grated Pecorino, and 1-2 big glugs of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss. Serve the pasta with additional Pecorino on the side. If you’d like, sprinkle with a few red pepper flakes.
Notes
- Chop the broccoli before cooking the shallots and garlic, since they go fast. Be sure to chop the florets nice and small so that they cook quickly.
- Don’t toss those stems! Broccoli stems are deliciously mild and crunchy. Use your knife to slice away the tough outer skin, then chop the tender inner stem.
- You can eat the leaves too! Broccoli leaves are delicious, with a flavor similar to baby kale. Throw them in!
- Don’t be afraid of the anchovies in this dish, they lend an umami savoriness, but you won’t really taste them. That being said, you can always omit them if you must (or add more if you’re a fan!).
- The gremolata is what makes this dish, lending it vibrancy and texture. It’s also awesome over roasted fish, chicken, braised meats, and/or vegetables. In my book, Build-a-Bowl, I sprinkle it over roasted Brussels sprouts and mushrooms with goat cheese… SWOON!
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This looks so simple and so good – and I laughed out loud about “playing it cool” when your kid actually likes something you weren’t expecting. Eloise ate an entire plate of a pretty complex pasta dish the other night and I felt like screaming from the rooftops, but you must never show emotion! hahaha. Trying to learn to squash the ego when it comes to this stuff but it’s hard not to feel some level of victory when the broccoli is devoured! 🙂
I’m so glad you can commiserate! (And I want that pasta recipe you made for Eloise!). Playing it “cool” isn’t always my strong suit, but I’m working on it! xoxo
Thank you for this glimmer of hope! My (almost) three year old is on a vegetable strike. We continue to put a variety of things in front of him but he’s become so picky lately. I will hang in there (and make this delicious pasta dish in the meantime).
How’s it going, Sam? I hope you’re hanging in there!
Love this idea of the gremolata- I Look forward to trying! I have the same frustrations with the boys after spending time on a meal I’m sure they will enjoy and instead refuse to try. Although Hudson is an anomaly and actually loves broccoli he despises potatoes of all froms (xfries)- how can that be!?? He’s Irish!!
Thanks sweetie!! That’s hilarious about Hudson! Ella won’t eat nut butters in any way shape or form, which to me is completely bonkers since I could happily put peanut butter on anything 🙂
This is such a great recipe! We all love it and so full of vegetables. In addition to the broccoli we also add cauliflower.
I love that you added cauliflower as well! I can’t wait to try that!
I really liked this dish. The texture was very satisfying. I think that’s partly because of the gremolata and partly from the diced broccoli stems.
Here’s a cooking cheat I like to share. Whenever I see Pine Nuts in a recipe, I replace them with Pepitas. That goes for pesto too. Worked in this recipe like a charm.
I’m so glad you liked it, Barton, and that’s a great tip about swapping in pepitas! Thank you!!