This Healthy One Pot Broccoli Pasta Alfredo has a delicious, creamy sauce that's healthier than traditional fettuccine alfredo!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Butter – or a butter substitute of your choice like margarine or olive oil.
- Garlic – fresh minced garlic is best, but jarred minced garlic can be used in a pinch.
- Vegetable broth – chicken broth is the best substitute here.
- Milk – I used 2% milk, but you can use any milk or dairy-free milk of your choice.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
- Rotini pasta – use any pasta of your choice like penne, fusili or even gluten-free pasta.
- Broccoli – you can use either fresh or frozen broccoli for this recipe.
- Heavy cream – half and half would also work, but the pasta won't be as creamy.
- Parmesan cheese – nutritional yeast is a good dairy-free substitute.
How to make broccoli alfredo pasta
Step 1: Sauté the garlic.
Saute the garlic in the butter until fragrant
Step 2: Make the sauce.
Add in the broth, milk, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
Step 3: Add in the pasta.
Coat the pasta in the sauce and stir until the liquid has mostly absorbed.
Step 4: Stir in the broccoli.
Add in the broccoli during the last 5 minutes of cooking time.
Step 5: Stir in the heavy cream and parmesan.
Step 6: Serve and enjoy!
Garnish with extra parmesan on top and dig in!
What to serve with broccoli alfredo
There are so many delicious dishes you can pair with your pasta! Here are some of my recommendations:
- Garlic bread or dinner rolls
- Baked chicken breast
- Grilled shrimp
- Caesar salad or simple garden salad
- Bruschetta
Frequently Asked Questions
I find that homemade alfredo sauce makes all the difference when it comes to flavour. Jarred alfredo sauce might be a bit bland, but the fresh alfredo sauce in this recipe tastes so much better!
The heavy cream and parmesan cheese will make the alfredo sauce nice and thick, but if you want it to be even thicker, you can stir in a cornstarch slurry or some pasta.
Yes! If you want to add some extra protein to this pasta, top it with some juicy chicken breast or even some grilled shrimp.
If you want to try making this alfredo pasta dairy-free, you'll need to swap out the milk and heavy cream for a dairy-free milk of your choice (like almond milk or soy milk), and substitute the parmesan for nutritional yeast. The pasta likely won't be as creamy, but you could definitely give it a try!
If you want to make this yummy healthy broccoli pasta for a party or family get-together, you can make it up to 5 days in advance or even freeze it for up to 3 months.
Storing and reheating
Store any leftovers of this broccoli pasta alfredo in the fridge for up to 5 days. I like to store individual portions in airtight glass containers for easy reheating! You can reheat it in a pan on the stovetop or in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes. I'd recommend sprinkling some water over top before reheating so the pasta doesn't dry out.
Freezing this recipe
This pasta is freezer-friendly! You can store it in the freezer for up to 3 months in glass containers. When you're ready to enjoy, sprinkle some water over top and reheat it straight from frozen in the microwave for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring halfway through the cooking time. Garnish with some fresh parmesan and dig in.
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More one pot pasta recipes
Meal Prep Tools
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning this pasta into leftovers.
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One Pot Broccoli Pasta Alfredo
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups milk
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 lb rotini pasta about 4 cups
- 1 head broccoli, cut into small florets
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once melted and bubbling, add minced garlic, sauteeing for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add in broth, milk, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium.
- Add pasta, coating in sauce. Stir occasionally until liquid has been mostly absorbed, about 15 minutes. Stir in broccoli in the last 5 minutes of cook time, again stirring occasionally.
- Once liquid has mostly absorbed, pasta is al dente and broccoli is tender, stir in heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Let sit off the heat for 2 minutes for sauce to thicken. Serve in pasta bowls, garnishing with extra parm on top, then enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Comments & Reviews
Regina says
Oh my!! This looks soo creamy! Pasta and veggies was my go-to college food. Now I know better about adding protein, but with Chickapea I could have gotten my protein even back then 😀
jenn peas and crayons says
Alfredo is one of my favorites and the fact that this delish dish is one pot and has oodles of broccoli in it – SOLD! Love it so!
GiGi says
MY HUSBAND LOVESSSSS PASTA ALFREDO! LOVES IT. I NEED to make this for him because all of the crap he sucks down is BEYOND unhealthy and this baby you have creats looks like a BOMB alternative. Throw in some chicken and BAM he might dub me the BEST WIFE EVER (oh wait, he already does?) lol.
Michelle @ Vitamin Sunshine says
This is delicious Taylor! I used to add broccoli to Annie’s mac and cheese for a quick meal — Chickapea makes it so much healthier!
marcie says
I love one pot pasta dishes and Chickapea is my favorite pasta! I love how you lightened up alfredo yet it’s still every bit creamy and delicious! Your photos are so pretty too Taylor!
Tania says
You stole my heart with this recipe, Taylor!!! I love Chickapea pasta and this is THE recipe I will try next.
Kristen @ The Endless Meal says
This pasta is seriously delicious! And I love that you’ve used Chickapea. It’s my family’s favorite healthy pasta!
Mahy says
Love this one Taylor, you can’t go wrong with classic goodness like this! I can’t wait to make it!
nocrumbsleft says
What a great idea, Taylor! Love this recipe and can’t wait to try it.
Robyn says
I need quick, easy and healthy in my life and this is something I could chow down on once a week. Love the potassium in broccoli and need more of it in the winter months. Thanks, Taylor – definitely will be adding this to the meal rotation. Sharing 🙂