Creamy Broccoli Pasta

A Serving of a two sauced pasta and broccoli dinner on a white plate with a fork.

5 from 3 votes

Creamy Broccoli Pasta has a little extra oomph in the comfort food department because it has two layers of different sauces included in the casserole.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Pasta

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Servings Servings

Calories 348kcal

Author Ginny McMeans

Ingredients

2 cups broccoli washed and cut into large florets
2 cups rotini pasta uncooked
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil organic
½ cup onion yellow, diced
1 cup green bell pepper diced
2 cloves garlic finely minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 cups Spaghetti Sauce organic
⅔ cup dairy free milk unsweetened
6 ounce dairy free cream cheese

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees,
Lightly grease (oil) a 9" x 13" casserole or two 6" x 8" casseroles. The two smaller casserole dishes are for if you want to save one for later.
Steam broccoli in a steaming basket or a saucepot steamer, until crisp tender - about 6 to 8 minutes.
Reserve the liquid.
Cook pasta al dente about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon water in a large skillet.
Add the onion and bell pepper and saute about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic and sauté for about 2 more minutes.
Add the salt and pepper.
Pour the spaghetti sauce over the onion, bell pepper, garlic mixture.
Stir and heat through. Set aside.
To a small saucepan add dairy free milk and dairy free cream cheese. Set on low.
Stir until it is well blended and the cream cheese is completed melted. Set aside.
Spread out the steamed broccoli in the casserole (or casseroles).
Pour the melted cream cheese and milk mixture over the broccoli. Stir a bit to coat all the broccoli.
Put the rotini pasta to the skillet that has the onion red sauce mixture. Mix well.
Pour the rotini pasta mixture over the broccoli mixture in the casserole (or casseroles).
Do not stir these two together. They should stay in separate layers.
At this point you and freeze the casserole (see notes below).
To bake and eat now bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Notes

IF FREEZING:

Freeze before baking only.
Please follow any of the directions defined in my article Preparing Food for the Freezer.

TO PREPARE AFTER FREEZING:

Take out of the freezer and put in the refrigerator at least 6 to 8 hours before baking (or the day before). Bake, covered at 350° for 20 minutes and then uncover and bake for 10 minutes.

Nutrition