Description
A creamy, comforting pasta dish made with juicy meatballs, tender broccoli, and a rich parmesan-garlic cream sauce. Perfect for cozy weeknights or family dinners.
Ingredients
- Pasta: 12 ounces of penne or rotini
- Meatballs: 16 small beef or turkey meatballs (about 1 pound), cooked
- Broccoli Florets: 3 cups, chopped
- Heavy Cream: 1 ½ cups
- Parmesan Cheese: ¾ cup, grated
- Garlic: 3 cloves, minced
- Olive Oil: 2 tablespoons
- Salt: 1 teaspoon
- Black Pepper: ½ teaspoon
- Pasta Water: ½ cup reserved
Instructions
- Preheat Your Equipment: Set a large skillet over medium heat and bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil.
- Combine Ingredients: While the water heats, warm olive oil in the skillet. Add meatballs and brown on all sides until heated through. Remove and set aside.
- Prepare Your Cooking Vessel: In the same skillet, add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Assemble the Dish: Add cooked meatballs back into the skillet with the cream. Stir in parmesan cheese, season with salt and pepper, and let everything meld for 5 minutes.
- Cook to Perfection: Meanwhile, boil pasta for 6–8 minutes, adding broccoli in the last 2–3 minutes of cooking. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta water.
- Finishing Touches: Toss pasta and broccoli into the skillet with meatballs and sauce. Add reserved pasta water a little at a time until the sauce coats everything perfectly.
- Serve and Enjoy: Garnish with more parmesan and cracked pepper. Serve hot.
Notes
- Reserve pasta water to help bind and thicken the sauce.
- Use fresh garlic for best flavor.
- Don’t overcook broccoli—add it near the end for the perfect texture.
- Reheat leftovers gently with a splash of cream or milk.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 620
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 620mg
- Fat: 36g
- Saturated Fat: 17g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 29g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
Keywords: creamy pasta, meatballs, broccoli pasta, easy weeknight dinner, comfort food