This recipe makes planning a weeknight dinner easier than ever. Deep green broccoli, spinach and parsley are combined with butter, then stirred into pasta for a simple but flavor-packed meal. The butter can be frozen for up to 2 months, so a quick supper is never far away. Additionally, the pasta can be eaten hot or cold, making it perfect for packing for lunch.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 15 min |
| Active: | 15 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings, plus additional broccoli-spinach butter (about 8 tablespoons) |
Ingredients
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 12 ounces pasta
- 5 ounces frozen or fresh broccoli florets, thawed if frozen
- 4 ounces frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed completely dry
- 1 cup fresh parsley leaves and stems, stems roughly chopped
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions for al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside. Reserve the pot.
- Meanwhile, pulse the broccoli, spinach, parsley leaves and stems, garlic, 1 tablespoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a food processor, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until finely chopped. Add the butter and continue to process, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until well combined.
- Melt 4 tablespoons of the broccoli-spinach butter in the reserved pasta pot over medium heat. Add the pasta and stir until combined, thinning it out with the reserved pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time if needed. Divide among plates and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
- Tightly wrap the remaining broccoli-spinach butter in plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 544 |
| Total Fat | 25 g |
| Saturated Fat | 15 g |
| Carbohydrates | 68 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Protein | 14 g |
| Cholesterol | 61 mg |
| Sodium | 450 mg |
Reviews
I replaced one of the sticks of butter with about four tablespoons of EVOO and doubled the garlic. I thought it was okay on the pasta, but I used the leftover by putting it on grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches which I think is fantastic! It adds a great texture to the sandwich and elevates the flavor immensely.