Cavatelli and Broccoli
Cavatelli and Broccoli is a classic Italian dish that is super tasty and nutritious. Plus, it’s one of the best comfort dishes around that you can make in 30 minutes or less!
Why you’ll love this recipe
While simple, Cavatelli and Broccoli, just like Beans and Greens, will surprise you with how complex the flavors are. Combining pasta with broccoli, smokey bacon, garlic, and Parmesan or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is a burst of savory goodness in your mouth.
With this recipe, you’ll have the whole family eating lots of broccoli and loving it because it’s so tasty. Roasted Potatoes and Broccoli is another dish your family will enjoy!
The best part is that this Cavatelli and Broccoli recipe is quick to make. It’s faster to make this pasta dish than ordering takeout and everyone is happy! Store-bought pasta is perfectly fine, but it’s not hard to make your own homemade cavatelli or try making your own ricotta cavatelli.
If you have more time, serve Cavatelli and Broccoli with my butterfly chicken recipe; your family will love it as much as mine.
For complete ingredient quantities and full instructions, please scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Ingredient notes
Along with the usual Italian pasta ingredients, for Cavatelli and Broccoli, you’ll need:
- Cavatelli Pasta: Homemade (use my easy cavatelli recipe) or store-bought pasta.
- Broccoli: Lots of it – 2 big heads. Choose broccoli that is a deep green color with no yellowing bits.
- Bacon Lardons: This gives amazing flavor and smokiness. Lardons aren’t too fancy. It simply means short batons cut from a slab of bacon.
- Red Pepper Flakes: This is an optional ingredient. You can use as much or as little as you want.
Substitutions
- Fresh Broccoli: Substitute with frozen broccoli. However, since it is generally precooked, it only needs heating. Therefore, cook for around 2 minutes in the boiling water before removing with a slotted spoon.
- Bacon Lardons: I like to use smoked Italian pancetta when available instead of bacon lardons. Pancetta is flat as opposed to rolled. It has an intense flavor and fat content, adding fantastic flavor to this Cavatelli and Broccoli pasta dish.
- Parmesan (or Parmigiano Reggiano) Cheese: Use pecorino Romano cheese instead.
Variations
- Cauliflower and Cavatelli: Use cauliflower for part or all of the broccoli for a different flavor. Also, make my amazing instant pot cauliflower as a side dish to serve.
- Vegetarian: Omit the bacon for a vegetarian version of cavatelli and broccoli, and add pitted black olives instead.
Instructions
Begin by putting a large pot of salted water on to boil.
- In a skillet or frying pan, gently cook the bacon lardons, adding the garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) at the end.
- In the meantime, add the broccoli to the boiling water until tender. Then add to the pan with bacon.
- Add the pasta to the boiling water in which the broccoli was cooked. Once the pasta is al dente, strain (reserving a little cooking water) and add it to the bacon and broccoli.
- Toss gently to combine, adding Parmesan, reserved pasta water, and extra virgin olive oil.
Serve with a bowl of crunchy pangrattato and extra Parmesan cheese so that everyone can help themselves to what they like.
Tips for Success
- Bringing a large pot of water to the boil can take time. Speed this up by pouring a kettle full of boiling water into the pot. Top up with more hot water as needed, and you’ll have boiling water in just a few minutes.
- Broccoli for this pasta dish needs to be tender. Piece the stalk with a fork to check for doneness. Remember that the pasta will keep cooking, so don’t take it too far. However, I love how some broccoli softens and melts into the sauce.
FAQ
Yes, cavatelli is an eggless pasta made with semolina flour originally from Molise and Puglia. Today, you can find cavatelli in many restaurants and homes throughout Southern Italy and beyond.
Cavatelli are traditionally served with a tomato sauce, a meat ragu or with a broccoli sauce like this one.
Gavadeel is an Italian American word for cavatelli.
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This updated recipe was first published on April 18, 2010.
Cavatelli and Broccoli Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 heads broccoli
- 3 oz (85 grams) bacon lardons or smoked Italian pancetta (see notes)
- 3 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound (450 grams) cavatelli pasta store bought or homemade
- 1 teaspoon salt or more to taste or as needed
To Serve
- Extra freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Begin by place a large pot of well salted water on to boil.
- Meanwhile, thinly slice garlic. Cut stalks from the broccoli, peel, then cut into thin slices. Cut the broccoli heads into small florets.
- Place the bacon lardons and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in large, cold frying pan. Set it over low/medium heat. As the pan heats up the fat in the bacon will start to melt and release all it's flavor. Continue cooking the bacon for 3-4 minutes or until browned and become a little crispy and the fat is rendering.
- In the meantime, add florets and stalk slices to boiling water and cook for 3 minutes or until the stalks are just tender but still firm. Using a slotted spoon, remove to a colander. Keep water boiling.
- Add cavatelli to boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain cavatelli, reserving ½ cup cooking water.
- Add the sliced garlic to the bacon. Cook, stirring for 1 minute or until the garlic is fragrant. Then add the red pepper (chilli) flakes and broccoli. Stir over heat for a minute or two. If the pasta isn't ready, turn the heat off until you add the cavatelli to avoid overcooking the broccoli.
- Add cavatelli, Parmesan, reserved cooking water and remaining extra virgin olive to the pan. Toss gently to combine. Taste and adjust with a little more salt, if needed.
- Pile into a serving bowl and sprinkle with extra freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serve hot.
Notes
- Use lots of water to boil the cavatelli. Add the salt when the water comes to the boil and never add oil to the water to cook pasta.
- Be sure that the broccoli cook until tender but not over cook. Some broccoli softening and melting into the sauce is good though
Nutritional Estimate Per Serving
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For accurate results, it is recommended that the nutritional information be calculated based on the ingredients and brands you use.
my family always used anchovies instead of bacon. both ways are amazing but do I dare use both anchovies and bacon? I’ll let everyone know how it turns out.
Interesting! I’d love to know how that goes. Yes, I do use anchovies occasionally as well.
What a cozy dish! My whole family adored it. I highly recommend preparing your ricotta cavatelli. It took this smoky rich dish to the next level and was definitely worth the added time and effort.
A quick and delicious dinner is always welcome on my menu. My family loved it, thanks!
This classic Italian dish was super tasty! Broccoli, bacon, and Cavatelli make a great combination! I will be making this again soon!
I always wanted to make something authentically Italian with Cavatelli pasta, just didn’t know what until I found this recipe. It was such an easy midweek dinner, the kids loved it too!
Simple pasta recipes are the best. You can whip this up any night of the week. Love the combination of broccoli and pasta too.
Easy quick to prepare and so tasty too. Could I have some with extra portion of bacon and Parmesan please 🙂
Angie
Absolutely! More bacon and more Parmesan for everyone!!