Creamy Broccoli Pasta
One of the things my clients tell me they struggle with the most is finding healthy recipes that their kiddos will love too.
If you’re in the same boat, you have to try this creamy broccoli pasta! 🥦🍝 Each serving has 5g fiber, 37g protein, and is full of nutrients from the broccoli, but snuck into a creamy pasta sauce.
It’s also a super balanced way to enjoy pasta while honoring your goals and makes a great meal-prep dinner so you can stay consistent with healthy choices without having to cook every night.
For the full video on how it’s made, check out my Instagram post!
Recipe makes 6 servings
Ingredients
2 heads of broccoli
1.5 lb. chicken breast
Lemon pepper seasoning
½ cup half and half
1 ½ cup water
1 tbsp olive oil
6 cloves garlic
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
Parmesan (rind + ½ cup grated, plus extra for topping)
12oz spaghetti
Directions
Preheat oven to 375F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Gently slice off the outer-most green ends of the broccoli (just the very outside of the broccoli head - it will come off like little crumbs - see my Instagram video here for how I did it). Drizzle on the olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Toss to coat evenly, then spread onto the baking sheet, leaving ¼ of the sheet open.
Cut off the tops of ¼ of the broccoli that’s left into little bite-sized florets and lay onto one of the baking sheet next to the broccoli crumbles. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until crumbles begin to very slightly brown and crisp.
On the other baking sheet, place the chicken. Sprinkle with lemon pepper seasoning and bake for 12-18 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside.
Slice the remaining broccoli tops into florets. Don’t throw out the stems! Cut off the outside layer, then dice the inner core into bite-sized pieces - again, see my Instagram post for a visual on this.
In your Instant Pot or pressure cooker, place the diced broccoli heads and stems, half and half, water, garlic cloves, salt, and pepper. Stir together, then add the parmesan rind, pressing down to submerge it.
Set the Instant Pot to high-pressure with the valve closed for 4 minutes.
While the broccoli cooks, make your pasta according to the box instructions.
When the broccoli is done, remove the parmesan rind, then use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. Mix in ½ cup grated parmesan, then add the pasta and toss to coat evenly.
To serve, place the pasta in a bowl (or divide into 6 meal prep containers), topped with the toasted broccoli crumbles & florets, and the lemon pepper chicken. Enjoy!
Nutritional Info (per serving)
455 calories | 11g fat | 49g carbs | 5g fiber | 37g protein
