Pasta with broccoli is a classic Italian recipe that is super quick and easy to make and loved by many. This version includes pancetta, but you can replace it with other meat, fish or vegetables.
A little broccoli history.
Did you know that broccoli originated in southern Italy about 2,000 years ago? Yes, it was the Italians who gave the world broccoli, although this popular nutritious vegetable is now grown in many countries.
According to Wikipedia, the word ‘broccoli’ comes from the Italian ‘broccolo’, which means ‘the flowering head of cabbage’. In fact, broccoli was originally developed from wild cabbage.
Apparently, broccoli’s popularity and cultivation did not spread to Northern Europe until the 18th century, and it was Italian immigrants who introduced it to North America in the 19th century.
The most well-known type of broccoli is Calabrese broccoli, named after the Italian region of Calabria.


Italian broccoli recipes.
Italians love broccoli! My Sicilian husband makes it very often as a side dish with anchovies, olives and croutons! Here in Italy, broccoli is usually boiled and then served plain with olive oil or sautéed or baked with other ingredients. However, broccoli soup, fritters and broccoli pasta are also very popular.


Pasta with broccoli around Italy!
Broccoli is used in pasta recipes in both Northern and Southern Italy. Southern Italians traditionally make pasta with broccoli with garlic, anchovies, pine nuts and raisins or sometimes peperoncino, fresh tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes or olives.
In both North and South, broccoli pasta dishes often include meats such as pancetta (as in this recipe), speck or sausage, or even canned tuna. In coastal areas, it is common to find pasta with broccoli and shellfish such as squid, calamari or shellfish.
The pasta.
I used penne rigate from pasta makers Felicetti to make this broccoli pasta recipe. However, most types of pasta go well with broccoli. Many Italians use pasta tubes and others go for long noodles such as spaghetti or bucatini. In the south, orechiette, cavatelli and casarecce are traditional types of pasta paired with broccoli.


Ingredients in this pasta with broccoli recipe.
The pasta: As mentioned above, you can use many different types of pasta for this recipe.
The broccoli: You can use fresh or frozen broccoli. I prefer to use fresh organic vegetables when they are in season. Broccoli is generally a cold weather (fall and winter in Italy) although in some places you can find it year round. Frozen broccoli needs less preparation and cooking time. So recipe preparation is of course much faster.


Garlic: Garlic is the only flavoring agent in this recipe, and it’s good to be generous with it if you love garlic. Fresh garlic is a must to get the right taste.
Pancetta: Fresh pancetta with a good balance of meat and fat is best for this recipe. I used pre-cut pancetta tubes which are widely available in Italy. In its absence, diced fatty or streaky bacon can be used as a suitable substitute.
Step by step instructions.
Prepare the ingredients: Peel and chop the garlic, wash the broccoli and cut the head into 4 pieces, and dice the pancetta if it is not already done.
Step 1: Cook the broccoli in salted water until slightly soft. Remove the broccoli but keep the water boiling and add the pasta. Cook the pasta al dente according to the instructions on the package.
Step ⅔: Fry the pancetta with a little olive oil until brown. Remove the pancetta to a bowl lined with kitchen paper to drain the fat. Remove some of the rendered fat from the pan.


Step 4: Cut the drained broccoli into small florets and put it in the roasting pan with the chopped garlic and a little olive oil. Sauté for 5 minutes, then add a few spoonfuls of the water the pasta is cooking in. Saute the broccoli and garlic for 5-10 minutes, then mash some of the broccoli with a fork to create a creamier sauce.


Step 5: Add the pancetta to the broccoli and garlic. Mix well together. Add salt and pepper to taste.


Step 6: Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the broccoli and pancetta.


Step 7: Add ⅔ of the grated cheese to the pasta and broccoli. Mix everything again on low heat until the cheese starts to melt, then serve.
Replacements and tips.
Instead of pancetta or bacon, you can make this pasta with broccoli recipe with Italian sausage meat or bacon. The sausage may need longer cooking and the stain less.
You can also replace the meat with canned tuna. This does not require pre-boiling. Just add it to the broccoli and garlic after you’ve mashed the florets a bit.
This pasta with broccoli can also be served at room temperature as a pasta salad, making it a super food recipe as well as a delicious option for picnics and potlucks.


What to do with leftovers.
If you have leftovers, store them sealed in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Then heat them up in the microwave or bake them with a little more grated cheese on top. Add some mozzarella to make the leftovers even cheesier!
This broccoli pasta is easy to make gluten-free if you use gluten-free pasta.
All you need to do to make this recipe dairy free is to leave out the cheese or use a vegan cheese.
Frozen broccoli works well in this recipe as it cuts down on prep and cooking time. However, I prefer fresh broccoli because of its nutritional value and taste.
Pin for later.
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As you can see, pasta with broccoli is a quick and easy dish that is also very versatile. So if you haven’t tried it before, I really recommend you do. Not only is it delicious, but a great way to get kids to eat their greens, especially if you add lots of crispy pancetta and grated cheese!
If you try this recipe, let me know what you think! Write a comment here on the blog or write a comment on the Pasta Project’s Facebook page.
Good appetite!
Other pasta with broccoli recipes to try.
- Sicilian broccoli pasta with sausage.
- Ditaloni with purple cauliflower.
- Pasta with Romanesco broccoli.
- Orechiette with broccoli rabe.
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