Pasta Con Broccoli - Sip and Feast (2024)

FAQs

Can I cook broccoli and pasta in the same water? ›

One of the reasons pasta con broccoli is so easy is that the water does double duty. The same water is used to cook both the broccoli and pasta, so be sure to not discard it after cooking the broccoli. And yes, save the pasta water to add to your sauce!

Break apart the florets. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and cook, uncovered, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes depending on the size of the florets. Drain into a colander, transfer to a plate, sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve with lemon wedges.

Place 3/4 to 1 inch of water in a saucepan with a steamer and bring to a boil. (Note that if you don't have a steamer, you can simply put the broccoli directly into an inch of boiling water.) Add broccoli, steam 5 to 6 min: Add the broccoli to the steamer and cover; reduce heat to medium and let cook for 5-6 minutes.

Blanching broccoli ensures that your broccoli is nicely cooked but also still has a nice crunch to it. It goes well with just about anything! This 10 minutes side dish is the perfect addition to any weeknight meal.

Pasta should never, ever be rinsed for a warm dish. The starch in the water is what helps the sauce adhere to your pasta. The only time you should ever rinse your pasta is when you are going to use it in a cold dish like a pasta salad or when you are not going to use it immediately.

But sauce isn't the only option you can turn to -- cooking your pasta in milk can give your dish a uniquely luscious, creamy texture. Mac and cheese is a prime example of a dish you can try this with, as the water-to-milk swap creates a more efficient cooking process with a richer sauce.

Garlic and butter help make broccoli taste irresistible. Simply sautee the broccoli in a pan with just a little butter, some onions and grated garlic and voila! Add a drizzle of lemon if desired.

Steaming broccoli is quick and easy, and it's considered one of the healthiest ways to prepare the vegetable. Instead of submerging the florets and stem into boiling water or roasting them in the oven, the broccoli is placed in a steamer basket over simmering water and covered with a lid.

Steaming broccoli is a fast and healthy way to cook this nutritious vegetable. It preserves broccoli's vibrant green color and fresh flavor without the addition of oil. While boiled broccoli is often soggy, steamed broccoli is characteristically crisp-tender.

Is microwaving broccoli better than steaming? ›

Is it better to steam or microwave broccoli? Microwaving is a safe way to cook broccoli and requires less time than steaming. Microwaving is also thought to preserve the nutrients in vegetables most effectively.

The preferred method of the USDA for how to wash broccoli or other harder-to-clean veggies: give it a good soak. Fill a large bowl with cold or warm water. Allow it to soak for 2 minutes, then dump the vegetables into a colander and allow the soaking water to drain away.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) food and safety basics states cooked food can be left at room temperature up to two hours.

Both raw and cooked broccoli will last for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator when stored properly. Blanched broccoli will last between 10 and 12 months in the freezer.

All vegetables should be blanched and quickly cooled before freezing, drying or dehydrating. Exceptions: Diced or cut onions, green onions, leeks and peppers do not need to be blanched before preserving.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When water boils, add pasta and broccoli at the same time and cook according to pasta instructions for al dente.

Making a pasta that features green beans, corn, peas, spinach, broccoli, etc.? You can blanch (quickly boil) these vegetables right in the seasoned pasta water. You can add quick cooking vegetables like green peas to the water when the pasta is almost done and drain the pasta and peas together before saucing.

Luckily, pasta water is having a moment among gastronomes and gardeners alike. One of the best (and most underrated) ways to let this starchy liquid shine is to use it to cook vegetables. The seasoned water imbues plenty of flavor and helps veg get nice and crisp.

If you cook pasta in the same water twice, it will become increasingly starchy as it draws more water from the pasta. Eventually, it will become too thick to use. If you reuse the same water to boil pasta over and over again, discard the water after it gets thick and cloudy.