Broccoli & Cannellini Bean Pasta
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 8
Why I Love This Recipe
This is one of the recipes that convinced me I didn’t need a refrigerator full of fresh vegetables to cook a satisfying meal. Frozen broccoli, canned cannellini beans, good olive oil and garlic are almost always within reach, which means this dinner is never more than twenty minutes away.
The creamy texture comes naturally from the beans and starchy pasta water—no cream, no butter, and no complicated technique. Just simple ingredients working together the way they were meant to.
What You’ll Need
2 pounds orecchiette (my first choice) or another short pasta
2 (12-ounce) bags frozen broccoli florets
2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1½ to 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
About 1 cup reserved pasta water
Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Method
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil and cook the pasta until al dente according to the package directions.
While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.
Carefully add the frozen broccoli directly to the hot oil. It may splatter a little, so lower it into the pan carefully. Cover immediately and cook for about 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is tender.
Once the broccoli has softened, uncover the pan and add the sliced garlic. Continue cooking for another minute or two until the garlic becomes fragrant. Adding it at the end keeps it from burning while the broccoli cooks.
Add the cannellini beans and gently stir everything together. Lightly mash a handful of the beans with the back of a spoon. This creates a naturally creamy sauce without adding cream.
Transfer the cooked pasta directly into the pan.
Dissolve the Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base into about one cup of the reserved hot pasta water. Pour it into the pan and begin tossing everything together. Add additional pasta water as needed until the sauce lightly coats the pasta. This shouldn’t be soupy. The broth is simply there to bring everything together.
Finish with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and several turns of freshly ground black pepper.
Serve immediately.
Joe’s Tips
Frozen broccoli goes straight into the pan.
There’s no need to thaw it first. Let it steam and sauté under the lid until tender before adding the garlic.
Wait to add the garlic.
Garlic cooks much faster than frozen broccoli. Adding it after the broccoli has softened keeps it sweet and fragrant instead of bitter.
Better Than Bouillon is the finisher.
I don’t use it to make broth at the beginning. Instead, I dissolve it into hot pasta water after the pasta is added. It seasons the entire dish while helping create a silky sauce.
Mash just a few beans.
A handful is enough. They’ll naturally thicken the sauce while leaving plenty of whole beans for texture.
Make It Your Own
Add crushed red pepper flakes for a little heat.
Finish with a drizzle of your favorite DOP extra virgin olive oil.
Substitute Pecorino Romano for a sharper flavor.
Top with grilled Italian sausage or grilled shrimp for a heartier meal.
Serve It With
A loaf of warm Italian bread and a simple green salad are all this meal really needs. It also pairs beautifully with Crispy Italian Chicken Cutlets if you’re feeding a larger crowd.
Pantry Staples Used
Dried pasta
Frozen broccoli
Cannellini beans
Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
Extra virgin olive oil
Garlic
Parmigiano Reggiano
This is exactly the kind of recipe that inspired my pantry philosophy. Nearly every ingredient can wait patiently in your pantry or freezer until you need it, yet together they create a meal that’s comforting, nourishing, and worthy of sharing around the table.