Creamy Garlic Parmesan Rigatoni With Broccoli
Servingsservings
Prep timeminutes
Cooking timeminutes
Calorieskcal
Ingredients
12 oz rigatoni pasta
2 cups broccoli florets
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup chicken broth (optional for a lighter sauce)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Directions
- Cook the Pasta and Broccoli: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. In the last 2-3 minutes of the pasta cooking time, add the broccoli florets to the boiling water with the pasta. This will cook the broccoli just enough to be tender but still crisp.
Drain the pasta and broccoli together and set aside. (Save 1 cup of the cooking water before you drain it) - Prepare the Sauce: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
- Make it Creamy: Pour in the heavy cream (and chicken broth if using), and bring to a gentle simmer.
Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until fully melted and the sauce begins to thicken. Add shredded mozzarella cheese and continue to stir until melted and smooth. - Season with salt & black pepper Combine Pasta, Broccoli, and Sauce: Add the cooked rigatoni and broccoli to the skillet and toss to coat evenly with the creamy garlic Parmesan
sauce.
Notes
- Tips: Add in splashes of the cooking water to help emulsify the sauce and marry everything together. About 1/4 cup of the starchy cooking water is good. When adding the pasta to a thermos you want to add extra sauce so it won't dry out by lunchtime.
