Sauteed Broccoli and Cavatelli Recipe

This Sauteed Broccoli and Cavatelli Recipe is pure Italian comfort food. Combining pasta with broccoli creates a delicious meal that is ready in 25 minutes.

How is it possible for the simplest foods to offer the maximum amount of flavor?

Take, for example, the process of sauteing garlic in good-quality olive oil.

Simple, right?

As you probably know, this is a humble starting point for so many classic Italian dishes.

Some great examples are pasta dishes like aglio e olio and side dishes such as this broccoli rabe recipe or this broccolini recipe, to name but a few.

Today, we will saute garlic and key ingredients to make this cavatelli broccoli recipe.

Get ready for a classic Italian dish! 

Jump to:

• Mise en place
• Instructions for cavatelli and broccoli recipe
• Tips
• FAQ
• Serving suggestions
• Cavatelli recipes
• Recipe origins
• Recipe

Mise en place

First, we must bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.

Please note that I will be using this Ricotta Cavatelli recipe, which becomes al dente in just a couple of minutes. Feel free to also use this more straightforward recipe for Homemade Cavatelli.

So, if you use a commercial cavatelli brand, they may take longer to cook. As a result, please adjust the timing between cooking the pasta and sauteing the broccoli accordingly. You need about 1 pound of pasta. 

Let’s do some prep work while waiting for the water to boil.

Prep the garlic:  Crush 4 garlic cloves with the side of your knife. Remove the papery skins and cut off the tips. Please give them a coarse chop and set them aside. Feel free to adjust this amount based on your personal preference. 

Prep the broccoli: Trim off the tough ends, about a couple of inches from the bottom of 3 medium stalks, about one pound.  Cut off the broccoli heads and separate them into the florets. If the florets are large, cut them in half or quarters as needed.

With a vegetable peeler, peel the stems. Cut into small bite-sized pieces. Rinse both stems and florets and set them aside.

Instructions for cavatelli and broccoli recipe

In a very large skillet, heat about 6 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat. Sauté the chopped garlic cloves for about 1-2 minutes.

Add 2 anchovy fillets and mash them with a fork or the back of a spoon into a smooth paste.

This should take about 1-2 minutes. Feel free to add red pepper flakes for extra heat.

Add the bite-sized broccoli pieces to the pan and saute for 3-5 minutes.

By this time, the water should be boiling. Time to add the cavatelli.

Transfer about 1 cup of the pasta water to the skillet to cook the broccoli a little more. Turn the heat to medium-high.

Taste your broccoli to make sure it is tender-crisp or cooked to your liking. Add more pasta water if necessary. Do not allow the skillet to become dry.

As the cavatelli pasta floats to the top, remove it with a slotted spoon and add to the skillet with the broccoli.

Add another ladle of pasta water, along with ½ cup of freshly grated Pecorino Romano Cheese. Turn off the heat and quickly stir to combine.

Then, gently toss the pasta and the broccoli together in the pan. Continue tossing and stirring for 1-2 minutes. The pasta will absorb the extra liquid. Conversely, add a little pasta water if the mixture appears dry.

Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. 

A sprinkle of cheese and a drizzle of olive oil, and supper is ready.

Tips

• Use both the head and the stalk of broccoli.
• Although anchovies give this dish lots of character and flavor, it is optional.
• The tossing of the pasta in the skillet creates a silky sauce. 
• Cavatelli can be replaced with any short pasta that can scoop up the pasta sauce. Orecchiette and small pasta shells are great alternatives. 

FAQ

Serving suggestions

• Garnish with freshly grated cheese and a sprinkle of chili flakes for a bit of heat.
• Serve the pasta alongside an Italian green salad.
• Add protein to the dish by tossing in Italian sausage or grilled chicken.

Cavatelli recipes

These cavatelli pasta recipes offer a variety of tastes and textures, allowing you to explore different flavors and ingredients while enjoying the delightful, chewy cavatelli pasta. Feel free to use ricotta cavatelli or this recipe for whole wheat cavatelli. 

• Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Recipe: This sweet and smoky sauce pairs perfectly with cavatelli.
• Avocado Pesto Cavatelli Pasta Recipe: Savor the creamy and indulgent goodness of cavatelli pasta coated in a luxurious avocado pesto sauce created by blending ripe avocados, vibrant spinach, garlic, fragrant basil, crunchy walnuts, zesty lemon juice, and a touch of Romano cheese.
• Cavatelli with Tomato Ricotta Sauce: Experience the comforting classic of boiled cavatelli tossed with a tomato-based sauce, fresh basil, and a generous sprinkling of Romano cheese.

Recipe origins

It’s back to my younger years for this pasta broccoli recipe.

I grew up with many simple dishes enjoyed with family and friends gathered around the table.

I have so many memories of how my mom would whip up meals at a moment’s notice. 

The scenario would always be the same… the doorbell would ring (at times, someone would pop in unannounced from the back door à la Everybody Loves Raymond), and before the initial greetings were exchanged, the invite to “have a bite” and stay would be heard.

And just like that, the frozen homemade cavatelli pasta would come out of the freezer and, more often than not, served with broccoli.

Pasta con broccoli… a simple and delicious recipe you will make again and again. 

Buon Appetito!

★★★★★ If you have made this cavatelli with broccoli recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

Recipe

I originally published this post on March 2, 2018, republished on March 9, 2020, and more recently on October 17, 2023 with updated content. Thanks for sharing!