This easy, six-ingredient dish of pasta with broccoli rabe is appetizingly garlicky with a hint of spice, and it's perfect for hurried dinners.
The slight bitterness of broccoli rabe - a leafy vegetable not related to broccoli - is delicious in simple pasta dishes like this one. And while that alone is a good reason to make this garlicky pasta with broccoli rabe, it's not the only reason you should be making it.
This is a super simple recipe that needs just six ingredients, can be tweaked to nearly any special diet, and is ready in under 30 minutes. It is also versatile - you can make it with almost any variety and shape of pasta. Sometimes I use gluten-free pasta, as I did this time, and sometimes I add in a can of white beans for more protein (adjust the seasoning if you do this).
Recipe card
Pasta with Broccoli Rabe
Ingredients
- 1 large bunch broccoli rabe
- 16 oz pasta (I used penne rigate. Use any pasta of your choice, including spaghetti)
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 8 large cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
- ½ to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (tweak to your preference)
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup parsley (chopped)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the broccoli rabe and cook for five minutes until tender. Use a pair of tongs to remove the broccoli rabe to a chopping board, chop roughly, and set aside. Cook the pasta in the same water until al dente.
- Place oil in a wide skillet or saucepan. Add the garlic and turn the heat to medium low. Sauté the garlic until it turns a light gold.
- Add the red pepper flakes, the broccoli rabe, and salt and black pepper to taste. Mix well.
- Stir in the cooked pasta along with a cup of the pasta cooking water. Check seasoning and add more salt or ground black pepper if needed. Finally, stir in the parsley.
Nutrition Information
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Ingredient notes
- Pasta: Use any pasta shape of your choice, preferably something that grabs on to the sauce and the broccoli rabe. I've used spaghetti and at other times I've used smaller pasta shapes like conchiglie or penne rigate. Wholegrain pastas, bean pastas and gluten-free pastas will all work too.
- Broccoli rabe: Also called rapini or broccoli raab, this Mediterranean veggie is sometimes confused with broccoli or broccolini, likely because its buds resemble broccoli. Broccoli rabe has a slightly bitter flavor that's gorgeous in simple dishes that allow it to shine through. It tastes particularly wonderful when it's smothered in garlic. Buy broccoli rabe with leaves that look fresh and green with tightly closed buds. The stems should cook up very tender so don't discard them.
Recipe FAQs
Many supermarkets carry broccoli rabe now and you can also find it at stores like Whole Foods and at some farmers' markets.
You can make this pasta with arugula or dandelion greens, which are both pleasantly bitter greens, like broccoli rabe.
Store the pasta with broccoli rabe in the fridge for up to three days. For longer storage you can freeze the pasta in a freezer-safe container for up to four months. Thaw and reheat before serving.
More simple pasta recipes
- One of my weeknight favorite pastas is this easy, one-pot, curried spaghetti with kale. It is flavored with curry powder and loaded with yum!
- If you agree that garlic with pasta is a match made in heaven, be sure to try this garlicky pasta with broccoli and beans. It's weeknight-friendly and so, so good.
- Another simple pasta recipe we swear by is this vegan lemon pasta with basil. It combines a bright, no-cook, insanely lemony sauce with sweet shards of basil.
First posted on Oct. 23, 2017. Updated and republished on March 22, 2025.
Ramya says
Your recipes are an inspiration. Thank you so much .. thinking of going vegan and this really helps for a starter
Vaishali says
Awesome!
Rana says
Made this last night for the family to have a clean slate the night before Thanksgiving. It was just perfect-- the garlic hit the spot. Thank you for another delicious recipe.
Vaishali says
So happy your family loved it!