The new year is here, and I’m making a conscious effort to eat healthier. Eating well doesn’t mean giving up pasta, despite what many believe. Instead of abandoning pasta, choose whole-grain varieties, keep portions moderate, and load your bowl with extra vegetables.
Most grocery stores now carry whole wheat pasta, and health food shops or Italian specialty stores offer many alternative whole-grain options. While living in Umbria for six months each year, I discovered farro pasta and fell in love with its nutty flavor—it’s versatile and pairs well with a wide range of sauces.
If you can find farro pasta, give it a try—you might like it as much as I do.
I also weigh my uncooked pasta to ensure proper portions. I use roughly 100 grams (about 3½ ounces) of dried pasta per person, which is plenty when you add vegetables and sauce.
Whole-grain pasta is more nutrient-dense than refined white pasta. It contains B vitamins and minerals like copper, selenium, magnesium, and manganese. While enriched white pasta provides some B vitamins, it lacks many of the minerals found in whole grains.
B vitamins support a healthy nervous system and energy metabolism. Whole-grain pasta costs a bit more than regular pasta, but when served as a vegetable-based meal rather than a meat entrée, it can be very economical. Given the extra nutritional value, I find the cost worthwhile.
Broccoli is a vegetable I aim to include regularly for its nutritional benefits. It’s an excellent source of dietary fiber, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin E, manganese, phosphorus, choline, vitamin B1, carotenoids (provitamin A), potassium, and copper. It also provides magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, protein, zinc, calcium, iron, niacin, and selenium. Broccoli is affordable and available year-round, making it an easy way to boost nutrition.
This recipe is a simple pasta dish that comes together in about thirty minutes, making it perfect for midweek dinners. I like to chop sun-dried tomatoes fairly finely, though you can blitz them into a pesto if you prefer. I usually use sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil for added flavor.
I used broccoli because I had it on hand, but broccoli rabe would be a lovely alternative. I topped the finished dish with grated Pecorino Romano for its bold flavor, though Parmesan or crumbled goat cheese would also work. For a crunchy finish, sprinkle chopped walnuts over the pasta. I chose farro fusilli, but any short whole-grain pasta will do.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele
Whole Grain Pasta With Broccoli and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Serves 4
10 minutes
30 minutes
40 minutes
A healthy, quick, and flavorful pasta dish.
Ingredients
- 1 head broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, coarsely chopped
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3/4 pound whole-grain pasta
To Serve:
- Grated Pecorino Romano cheese (or Parmesan/goat cheese to taste)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
- Add the broccoli and cook until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Use a strainer insert or slotted spoon to transfer the broccoli to a bowl.
- Add the pasta to the same pot and cook according to package instructions until al dente.
- While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
- Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two until fragrant.
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and the cooked broccoli.
- Toss to combine and keep the mixture warm.
- Drain the pasta, reserving about a cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Return the pasta to the pot, add the broccoli-tomato mixture, scraping any flavorful bits from the pan.
- Toss everything over high heat, adding a little reserved pasta water as needed to help the sauce coat the pasta.
- Serve in individual bowls and sprinkle with grated Pecorino Romano. Add chopped walnuts for extra texture if desired.
Did you make this recipe?
Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo if you try the dish.