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Cheesy Broccoli Pasta

The ultimate comfort food – vegan cheesy broccoli pasta topped with garlic butter breadcrumbs. It’s every bit delicious, creamy and addictive!

Vegan Broccoli Cheese Pasta with Garlic Breadcrumbs #pasta #macncheese #broccoli #dairyfree #vegan #garlic

Think elevated mac n cheese with chunks of broccoli and all the flavours of garlic bread but in breadcrumb form. Absolutely delicious, I literally can’t get enough of it!

The inspiration for this dish comes from one of my teenage favourites – cheese and broccoli pasta n sauce. The packet pasta that you live off in your uni days.

This is just my grown up vegan version which is 10x better and pretty easy to make! It might take a little longer than packet pasta but it’s totally worth it!

The base of this sauce starts with a simple roux – vegan butter, flour and milk. To this we add stock, vegan cheddar, mustard, garlic and onion powder and salt and pepper.

Vegan Broccoli Cheese Pasta with Garlic Breadcrumbs #pasta #macncheese #broccoli #dairyfree #vegan #garlic

That’s all you need for a velvety cheesy pasta sauce, and you probably already have all the ingredients on hand!

Chunks of broccoli are added to the pasta in the last few minutes of cooking. Cheese and broccoli compliment each other really well, and with the addition of pasta it take it to the next level. Because, what isn’t made better with pasta!

Here’s what you’ll need for broccoli cheese pasta:

  • Vegan butter
  • Plain flour 
  • Unsweetened plant milk (I use oat)
  • Vegetable stock
  • Vegan mature cheddar cheese 
  • Dijon mustard
  • Garlic powder
  • Onion powder
  • Smoked paprika or cayenne
  • Broccoli

For the garlic breadcrumbs

  • Vegan garlic butter 
  • Panko breadcrumbs 
  • Basil
Vegan Broccoli Cheese Pasta with Garlic Breadcrumbs #pasta #macncheese #broccoli #dairyfree #vegan #garlic

To make it gf simply swap the flour for gf all purpose flour and use gf pasta of choice.

You can use any plant milk you like, just make sure it’s unsweetened. Oat, soya, almond work well.

Go for a mature style cheddar cheese for the best flavour. My favourite is the Violife Mature.

For the vegan garlic butter, you can get one in Sainsbury’s, it’s called Food Heaven Garlic Spreadable. If you can’t find any simply crush a glove or two or garlic and add to the butter.

How to make broccoli cheese pasta:

Start by making the sauce. Heat vegan butter in a pan on low heat. Once melted add the flour and combine until a roux is formed. 

Slowly add milk and stock and whisk until it turns into a white sauce. Add grated vegan cheese, mustard, onion, garlic, spice and salt and pepper. Mix and cook on low until all melted. 

Cook pasta in salted water according to packet instructions. Add chopped broccoli in the last few minutes. 

Drain both and add both to the sauce. If the sauce is a little too thick you can add some of the pasta water. 

Heat vegan garlic butter in a small pan on medium heat. Once melted add panko breadcrumbs and cook until golden. Keep tossing so it doesn’t burn and toasts evenly. 

Vegan Broccoli Cheese Pasta with Garlic Breadcrumbs #pasta #macncheese #broccoli #dairyfree #vegan #garlic

Serve pasta and top with the breadcrumbs and black pepper! Best served straightaway.

If you want to reheat I recommend doing it on the stove, and add a little water to loosen the sauce. If you microwave it will dry out and not be as nice. 

Whilst the garlic breadcrumbs are optional they are highly recommended. Think garlic bread but in little crunchy nugget form. So good!

For more pasta recipes you may enjoy these:

Sausage pasta bake

Roasted red pepper and sun dried tomato pasta

Alfredo pasta with mushrooms

Puy lentil ragu


As always if you make this vegan broccoli cheese pasta be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!

Don’t forget to follow along on FacebookPinterest and Instagram – I’d love to see you all there!


Vegan Broccoli Cheese Pasta with Garlic Breadcrumbs #pasta #macncheese #broccoli #dairyfree #vegan #garlic

Cheesy Broccoli Pasta

Yield: 4-6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Comfort food at its best! Creamy cheesy broccoli pasta with garlic butter breadcrumbs. Totally delicious and a family crowd pleaser!

Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp vegan butter
  • 4 tbsp plain flour
  • 4 cups / 500ml unsweetened plant milk (oat, soya, almond)
  • 1 cup / 125ml vegetable stock
  • 350g / 12oz vegan mature cheddar cheese
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp paprika/cayenne powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 500g pasta of choice
  • 1 large head broccoli

Garlic breadcrumbs

  • 1 heaped tbsp garlic butter
  • 1 cup / 60g breadcrumbs

Instructions

  1. Start by making the sauce. Heat vegan butter in a pan on low heat. Once melted add the flour and combine until a roux is formed. 
  2. Slowly add milk and stock and whisk until it turns into a white sauce. Add grated vegan cheese, mustard, onion, garlic, spice and salt and pepper. Mix and cook on low until all melted. 
  3. Cook pasta in salted water according to packet instructions. Chop broccoli florets into bite sized pieces and add to pasta in the last few minutes. 
  4. Heat vegan garlic butter in a small pan on medium heat. Once melted add panko breadcrumbs and cook until golden. Keep tossing so it doesn’t burn and toasts evenly.
  5. Drain both pasta and broccoli and add both to the sauce. If the sauce is a little too thick you can add some of the pasta water.
  6. Serve pasta and top with the breadcrumbs and black pepper! Best served straightaway.

Notes

I used a mini rigatoni pasta shape. It works best with pasta shapes that encase the sauce.

I use Violife mature style cheddar cheese.

If you want to reheat I recommend doing it on the stove, and add a little water to loosen the sauce. If you microwave it will dry out and not be as nice. 

Did you make this recipe?

Let me know in the comments or tag me on Instagram @cupfulofkale

Melody

Tuesday 3rd of October 2023

This is the best cheese sauce on the internet! Itโ€™s so good! Thank you!

Tamsin

Friday 6th of October 2023

Hi Melody, aww I am so glad you enjoy it so much!I must make this pasta again soon! Tamsin xo

Kezia

Friday 4th of March 2022

Delicious! Comfort food at its best!!

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