Broccoli Pasta Al Forno

Broccoli Pasta Al Forno. Delicious tubes of al forno pasta with fresh broccoli, all cooked in one quick pan and then finished off in the oven.

One pot cooking doesn’t get any better than broccoli pasta al forno.

I grew up on the same types of pastas and would have them all the time if I could.

It would either be macaroni cheese, broccoli gratin with pasta and of course root vegetables along with pasta and a big cheese sauce.

Clearly, I had a certain theme and pasta al forno would always feature on the menu. Thanks to how easy it is to cook and how frugal it is too, it is always a family winner.

But confession time….how often do we cook the pasta in a pan of boiling water, make the cheese sauce in another pan and then finally the broccoli will be boiled in a third pan.

It will then be transferred to a huge tray and then finished off in the oven so that is can bake.

I mean how ridiculous does this sound?

Plus, so many of us have done this until we have learnt the art of pasta al forno in one pot.

But a normal one pot would of course be a big Dutch Oven or maybe in the Instant Pot.

But I bet nobody has thought (well until now) the benefit of doing so in a frying pan and then having a frying pan that handle just comes nicely off so that you can finish the cooking in the oven.

You start by frying your onions, making your stock, then add the broccoli and pasta in and it will cook in the stock.

Then reduce it to reduce the stock, add your sauce and then the cooking process can then be finished in the oven.

Plus, it is so fast to make that it is just PERFECT for a quick mid-week dinner for you and your family.

If you don’t like broccoli or don’t have any in, then swap it for a different vegetable with a similar texture.

I love to also do it with:

• Cauliflower
• Cabbage
• Butternut Squash
• Sweet Potatoes

Don’t do it with:

• White Potatoes
• Carrots
• Courgettes
• Pumpkin
• Aubergines

This is because aubergines, pumpkin and courgettes hold too much water and run the thickness of your favourite cheese sauce.

Then with the white potatoes and carrots they are very hard and require a lot more cooking.

Plus of course you could also go with pretty much any type of pasta. I love to throw in all the little bits of pasta that I have leftover in my pantry.

Even better the same can be said for cheese. You can grab all the little bits of cheese that you have leftover in the freezer and add it in.

It’s so much nicer with a cheese sauce when you use a variety of delicious cheeses.

Print Recipe

Broccoli Pasta Al Forno Recipe

Broccoli Pasta Al Forno. Delicious pieces of pasta in a creamy cheesy sauce with broccoli and all cooked in one frying pan.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time18 mins

Total Time23 mins

Servings: 4

Author: RecipeThis.com

Ingredients

• Frying Pan with removable handle
• 1 Medium Broccoli
• 250 g Al Forno Pasta
• 500 ml Vegetable Stock
• 1 Large Onion
• 1 Tbsp Garlic Puree
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 3 Tbsp Greek Yoghurt
• 200 g Cheddar Cheese
• 1 Tbsp Basil
• 1 Tbsp Oregano
• Salt & Pepper

Metric - Imperial

Instructions

• Dice and peel the onion. Place the onion, garlic and olive oil into the frying pan and cook for a couple of minutes on a high heat until your onions have started to soften.
• Dice the broccoli into medium sized florets and add the broccoli and pasta to the frying pan. Give it a stir.
• Add to this your stock and allow the stock to come to the boil.
• When it does, reduce the heat to low and allow it to simmer (without a lid on) for a couple of minutes.
• Grate the cheese.
• Stir it and add in the rest of the ingredients.
• Remove the handle and place in the oven at 200c/400f for 5 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling.
• Serve in soup bowls.

Notes

The Greek Yoghurt does a perfect job in this dish because it creates the ideal creamy sauce without having to make a homemade cheese sauce and with a lot less calories than a traditional cheese sauce. However if you want to reduce your calories further then swap Greek Yoghurt for Quark.

Nutrition InfoPlease Note: Nutrition values are our best estimate based on the software we use at Recipe This and are meant as a guide. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

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