Quick and Easy Broccoli Cauliflower Pasta

Prepare to be obsessed with this quick, healthy broccoli and cauliflower pasta. This will be your new favorite meal, your house special.

As a longtime pasta lover, I have tried my fair share of recipes and I can confidently say you are going to love this one. The best part about this family friendly broccoli and cauliflower pasta recipe? The quick, no-cook sauce comes together in minutes and is full of flavor.

This recipe is loaded with organic, immune-boosting ingredients that you can feel good about serving to your family (and they will feel good about eating)!

Freshness from the veggies, nutty saltiness from the Romano, a little kick from the crushed red pepper flakes, and that irresistible silky, stretchy pull from the mozzarella will earn this organic pasta dish a top spot on your weeknight meal rotation.

Looking for more easy weeknight meal ideas? Try my One Pot Creamy Chicken Parmesan Pasta or Healthy Italian Wedding Soup with Chicken Meatballs! 

This post is all about how to make the best broccoli cauliflower pasta using simple, healthy ingredients. 

Best Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Since this is a quick no-cook sauce, you will really taste the extra virgin olive oil here. I highly recommend splurging for a good bottle of that deep green stuff!

Look for organic, first cold pressed extra virgin olive oil. Bonus points for single sourced varieties, as this improves traceability (and therefore accountability) in the brand’s agricultural practices. I personally love this brand.

Pro Tips

Pasta

Save your pasta water! It helps marry the flavor from your pasta to your sauce and adds a silkiness that is hard to replicate. If you end up saving more than you need, just pour the excess in a silicone ice cube tray and freeze for a later date. I love having extra pasta water cubes in the freezer to pop into sauces or soups!

Choose organic pasta and veggies! Regular produce and grains (and therefore pasta) are sprayed with harmful chemicals. One toxin called glyphosate is especially harmful to your gut health. Try to aim for organic grains when you can, since these are legally not allowed to be sprayed with glyphosate. Look for the glyphosate free label at the grocery store, and of course you can always opt for an organic grain free option.

Salt

Go easy on the salt. Remember that we are seasoning every layer of our dish, so don’t go overboard in any one step. That said, it’s imperative to make sure that the cooking water tastes like the ocean since this is the only chance to season the pasta and broccoli/cauliflower. Cooking with higher quality salts also ensure your dish tastes delicious but won’t skyrocket your blood pressure. Less processed salts like this one are better for your body. 

Timing

Timing is everything, and everything waits for the pasta. Make sure you have everything ready to go when your pasta is finished cooking so that its not sitting in the colander getting sticky waiting for the sauce. Also, the longer the sauce sits and marinates, the better it tastes. You could even make the mixture in advance if you’re really pressed for time (but I do recommend taking it out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before dinner to ensure the cheese is warm enough to melt).

Garlic has been a mainstay in medicine for centuries. It’s earliest uses were for everything from digestion to heart disease and arthritis. Garlic was widely used in every major civilization! Today there is evidence that this kitchen staple is an immune-boosting, cancer-fighting, cholesterol-lowering powerhouse. Load this quick, healthy pasta with all the garlic please!

Leftovers?

The leftovers (if there are any) might be my favorite thing about this broccoli cauliflower pasta. It tastes absolutely amazing the next day, heated up or just room temperature. My kids LOVE taking it to school for lunch in a thermos. An easy serving of midday veggies? Check.

Now that you can make this quick and healthy broccoli cauliflower pasta for dinner, you need a dessert! Check out my recipe for 7 Ingredient Birthday Cake Ice Cream! 

Broccoli Cauliflower Pasta

Quick & healthy pasta dish with organic vegetables and fresh mozzarella cheese in an easy, no-cook extra virgin olive oil sauce.

5 from 5 votes

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb Fusilli pasta any short cut pasta will work
• 2 heads Organic broccoli cut into small florets
• 1/2 head Organic cauliflower cut into small florets
• 1/2 cup Extra virgin olive oil good quality, see above
• 1/2 cup Grated Romano cheese
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 4 tbsp Italian parsley, freshly chopped plus more for garnish
• 8 oz Fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes cutting the mozzarella small will make it easier to melt
• 1 tsp Crush red pepper flakes can be adjusted to taste
• 2 tsp Kosher salt can be adjusted to taste
• 1 tsp Black pepper, freshly cracked can be adjusted to taste
• 1/2 cup Reserved pasta water I always save more, the leftover can be frozen into cubes for later use

Instructions

 

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
• Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl, combine the olive oil, grated Romano, mozzarella cubes, minced garlic, chopped parsley, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
• Once boiling, add enough salt to the water so that it taste like the ocean. Throw in your pasta, and when there is 3 minutes left of cooking time, add in the broccoli and cauliflower florets. Return to a boil and cook an additional 3 minutes.
• Drain the pasta and vegetables (don't forget to reserve some of that cooking liquid!) and pour it right over the sauce in the serving bowl.
• Add a bit of the reserved pasta water, stir well to combine and serve with an extra sprinkle of Romano and parsley.