One Pot Broccoli Pasta Recipe with Cheddar Cheese
One pot broccoli pasta – a quick, flavorful dish where tender orzo pasta and fresh broccoli cook together in a creamy, cheesy sauce.
I love a good one-pot meal! We make a lot of them when we are camping, but these kinds of meals are a great way to save prep time and clean-up for an easy weeknight dinner at home too. Most importantly, one-pot meals are so easy to make!
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The recipe I am sharing with you today is a great example of just how simple a one-pot meal can be. This creamy broccoli pasta recipe is loaded with tender broccoli, carrots, and tons of cheese.
It also uses simple ingredients to create a delicious meal that the whole family is going to love. Let’s get started!
Prep: 5 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total: 25 mins
Yield: 4-6 servings
One Pot Broccoli Pasta Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- ¼ cup diced red onion or sweet onion
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp white pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 1 ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2-2 cups chopped broccoli
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
1. Add butter to a pan over medium heat.
2. Add carrots, onion, and orzo.
3. Mix well, then add in the seasonings.
4. Cook for 1-2 mins (until fragrant) then add the broccoli.
5. Once everything is coated in seasonings and butter, add the chicken broth.
6. Cook for 9-10 mins more, or until the pasta is al dente.
7. Add heavy cream and cheese.
8. Cook for an additional 4-6 mins until creamy.
Variations:
- Use olive oil in place of the butter.
- A sprinkling of red pepper flakes would give this dish a little kick.
- Throw in a little bit of lemon juice or lemon zest.
- Whole milk or half and half could be used in place of the heavy cream, but that may effect the final product.
- Substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth.
- If you want to use regular pasta, such as pasta shells or elbow macaroni, you will need to make some adjustments because of the size difference compared to orzo. One option is for you to partially cook the pasta in a separate pot before adding it to the rest of your ingredients. Alternately, you could increase the total amount of chicken broth and adjust the cooking time.
- Replace the broccoli with your family’s favorite veggie. Or simply include it along with the broccoli. I think zucchini or cherry tomatoes would be great additions.
- Add in some parmesan cheese or cream cheese with, or instead of, the cheddar.
- Top with your favorite fresh herbs.
- Add in some extra protein. Try diced chicken, meatballs, or even a can of tuna.
Tips and Tricks:
- Save time by using frozen vegetables in your cooking. In this case, frozen broccoli and diced onions could easily be substituted for their fresh counterparts.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
The next time you are looking for a quick and easy meal idea, try today’s one-pot creamy broccoli pasta recipe. You won’t be disappointed! While you’re at it, give this lemon chicken orzo pasta a go too.
If you love this one pot broccoli recipe, please give it a five-star review and share it on Facebook and Pinterest so that others can enjoy it too!
One Pot Broccoli Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- ¼ cup diced red onion or sweet onion
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp white pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup orzo pasta
- 1 ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2-2 cups chopped broccoli
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- 1. Add butter to a pan over medium heat.
- 2. Add carrots, onion, and orzo.
- 3. Mix well, then add in the seasonings.
- 4. Cook for 1-2 mins (until fragrant) then add the broccoli.
- 5. Once everything is coated in seasonings and butter, add the chicken broth.
- 6. Cook for 9-10 mins more, or until the pasta is al dente.
- 7. Add heavy cream and cheese.
- 8. Cook for an additional 4-6 mins until creamy
Nutrition
