Fresh broccoli and tomatoes over penne pasta I like mine with a kick
- Carbohydrate 56.3509854185854 g
- Cholesterol 55.1870716833333 mg
- Fat 4.6689874181234 g
- Fiber 5.84183328025745 g
- Protein 12.8790995069096 g
- Saturated Fat 0.689640828903943 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (357g)
- Sodium 264.741808315863 mg
- Sugar 50.5091521383279 g
- Trans Fat 0.858174681322454 g
- Calories 308 calories
Step-by-step
- Bring pot of water to boil for pasta. Add pasta and cook per package instructions.
- While the pasta is cooking, add the olive oil to a pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli florets and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for an additional minute. Add the vegetable broth and seasonings, reduce heat, and allow to simmer until pasta is done.
- Add the grape tomatoes at the very end, just to heat through.
- Drain the pasta and add to vegetable mixture. Stir to combine.
- Serve with grated Parmesan Cheese and/or Toasted Pine Nuts, if desired.
Swapping penne for a shorter tubular shape like rigatoni alters how the vegetable broth and oil emulsion clings to the interior surface. Storing leftover pasta containing broccoli and grape tomatoes requires careful temperature management to prevent structural breakdown. Cooked brassicas release sulfur compounds when held at warm temperatures for extended periods, so cool the finished dish rapidly within two hours before sealing it in an airtight container.
- Refrigerate cooked portions for up to three days, noting that grape tomatoes will soften significantly and release additional moisture into the sauce over time.
- Reheat individual portions on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a tablespoon of water added to reconstitute the emulsified pan sauce.
- Avoid freezing this preparation because the cell walls of thawed grape tomatoes collapse completely, turning watery upon warming.
- Maintain al dente texture in the penne by undershooting package boiling instructions by precisely 90 seconds, allowing the pasta to finish absorbing liquid during the final toss.
Proper heat control during the initial vegetable sauté prevents the garlic from turning bitter before the vegetable broth is introduced. Storing the dish correctly preserves the structural integrity of the broccoli stems while keeping the sauce balanced.
