One Pot Broccoli Cheddar Pasta

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp butter
• 4 garlic (minced)
• 0.5 shallot (minced)
• red pepper flakes (a pinch)
• 2.25 cup chicken broth (plus extra as needed to finish cooking)
• 2 cup half and half (plus extra as needed to finish cooking)
• 4 cup pasta (dry)
• 3 cup broccoli (chopped)
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 1 tsp oregano
• salt & pepper (to taste)
• 1 cup cheddar cheese
• 0.5 cup parmesan cheese (plus extra for topping)
• lemon (squeeze of juice and zest for garnish)
• fresh parsley (for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Begin by preparing your produce. Mince the garlic and shallot, and roughly chop the broccoli. Set aside.

2. 2

   In a large pot, add the butter and place over heat. Once the butter has melted, add the minced garlic and shallot along with a pinch of red pepper flakes.

3. 3

   Saute the aromatics until fragrant, which should take about 1-2 minutes.

4. 4

   Add the chicken stock and half and half to the pot. Stir well to combine and bring the mixture to a boil.

5. 5

   Once the liquid is boiling, add the pasta and turn the heat down to medium-low. Stir frequently to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

6. 6

   When the pasta is about 3/4 done, add the chopped broccoli to the pot and cover with a lid. Covering the pot helps conserve liquid and steams the broccoli.

7. 7

   Continue to cook, stirring often as this is when the pasta is most likely to stick. If the liquid is absorbed before the pasta is finished, add an extra splash of chicken broth or half and half as required until the pasta reaches your desired sauce consistency.

8. 8

   When the pasta is al dente, shut off the heat. Add the paprika, mustard powder, oregano, salt, pepper, cheddar, and parmesan.

9. 9

   Stir well until the cheese is melted and the sauce is creamy. Add a fresh squeeze of lemon juice.

10. 10

    Top with fresh parsley, lemon zest, additional red pepper flakes, and more parmesan if desired before serving.

Notes

Stir often to prevent sticking, especially toward the end of cooking. The pasta will take longer to cook in the sauce than it would in boiling water. If the sauce becomes too thick before the pasta is tender, simply add a splash more broth or cream.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• one-pot
• vegetarian
• dinner
• broccoli
• cheddar