Crunchy pasta with Broccoli is a great variation of macaroni noodles with a very different flavor. Perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.
Jump to RecipeSo my boys, contrary to most kids, won’t eat macaroni and cheese. I’ve tried baking it, making it in the slow cooker, and even adding pumpkin. Nope, nothing. One time, I tried making it with a bunch of leftover cheese we had and called it cheesy pasta. Still a no from them. That left me trying to find other ways to possibly use some macaroni noodles since I enjoy them!
Instead of mixing with cheese, I decided it was time to go a completely different route. Sometimes, they don’t like the texture of the cooked noodles and cheese together, it’s too soft. My macaroni casserole has a breadcrumb topping, but it’s not enough.
Having only a bit of liquid in the final meal, and adding some broccoli (which they will occasionally eat) and topping with breadcrumbs, made the meal more crunchy. They preferred this over regular macaroni and cheese. Bonus, they ate some of the broccoli in there, too!
I have on the ingredients that the red pepper flakes are optional. Even for someone who doesn’t like a lot of heat, I still recommend them. I’ve made it both ways, and without the red pepper it ends up a little bland. The kids liked it that way, but it needed that bit of kick to really step up the meal.

Crunchy Pasta with Broccoli Step by Step
Ingredients
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 4 cups water
- 1 lb elbow macaroni
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 head broccoli, cut into florets
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp parsley
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Preparation
Add the salt to the water and bring to a boil, then cook the noodles to al dente (about 6-7 minutes).

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the panko to the pan with the lemon pepper seasoning and cook, stirring often, until crispy and browned.

Remove the panko from the pan and add the remaining oil. Add broccoli and cook until they are bright green, about 2-3 minutes.

Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute before adding the vegetable broth.

Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook until the broccoli is crisp-tender, about 5-6 minutes.
Scoop the pasta out of the pan with a slotted spoon and move to the pan with the broccoli.

Stir and cook another 2-3 minutes to let the flavors mix into the noodles.
Serve sprinkled with the toasted panko and garnish with parsley and red pepper flakes.

Crunchy Pasta with Broccoli Leftovers
This meal saves and reheats really well. I suggest storing the breadcrumbs separately from the pasta so they don’t get soggy. Once cooled, place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, I suggest cooking in a small pot over medium heat. If it’s too dry, add a small amount of vegetable broth or water.

Recipe
Originally Published On: April 4, 2022

Crunchy Pasta with Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 4 cups water
- 1 lb elbow macaroni
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 head broccoli (cut into florets)
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp parsley
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Add the salt to the water and bring to a boil, then cook the noodles to al dente (about 6-7 minutes)
- Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat
- Add the panko to the pan with the lemon pepper seasoning and cook, stirring often, until crispy and browned
- Remove the panko from the pan and add the remaining oil
- Add broccoli and cook until they are bright green, about 2-3 minutes
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute before adding the vegetable broth
- Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cook until the broccoli is crisp-tender, about 5-6 minutes
- Scoop the pasta out of the pan with a slotted spoon and move to the pan with the broccoli
- Stir and cook another 2-3 minutes to let the flavors mix into the noodles
- Serve sprinkled with the toasted panko and garnish with parsley and red pepper flakes
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
More Recipes with Vegetable Broth
- Homemade Vegetable Broth from Kitchen Scraps
- Chicken Orzo Pasta with Vegetables
- Red Lentil Soup
- Crunchy Pasta with Broccoli
- Pork and Noodles with Bok Choy
- Vegan Chickpea Skillet Dinner
- Minestrone Soup: The Perfect Warm Vegetarian Soup
- Vegan Pot Pie Casserole
- Tomato Soup (Vegan and Dairy-Free)
- Pasta All-In
More Cheesy Broccoli Recipes
- Cheesy Rice Casserole with Chicken and Broccoli
- Crunchy Pasta with Broccoli
- Broccoli, Beef, and Potato Hotdish
- Skillet Tortellini and Broccoli Meal
- Mac and Cheese Bites with Pumpkin
- Veggie Pizza
- Garlic and Herb Cheese Fondue
- Chicken and Broccoli with Garlic Cream
- Veggie Tortilla Pinwheels Roll Ups Recipe
Other Mac and Cheese Recipes
- Macaroni Casserole
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
- Crunchy Pasta with Broccoli
- Mac and Cheese Bites with Pumpkin
- Easy One-Pot Mac and Cheese
- Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese
Holy moly! I’m getting hungry just looking at that! I can’t wait to make this for the family.
I eat lots of pasta. I like that this also has added broccoli, for added nutrition. It’s free of meat, too, so my vegetarian daughters would also like it.
Wow! This dish looks AMAZING!! I will be trying this soon, thank you so much for sharing!
I’ve tried this recipe with my family for meatless Mondays. Never added breadcrumbs though, this meal is definitely worth trying again.
This looks so simple to make, but i bet this is super delicious. Broccoli’s like my fave and mixing it with pasta just sounds delish!
So yummy recipe for crunchy pasta.Thanks for sharing with us.
This sounds delicious! I will definitely be trying it!
Though I am not a big lover of pasta but your pictures are so tempting that I am thinking to try it soon. Thanks for sharing!!
I don’t think I’ve tried something like that before but that is looking quite delicious!
This dish is surely looking good to me. But as I’m not a vegan, I may add some bacon into it. It will be good too!
Wow….this is a completely new dish to me. And I love broccoli. Thanks for sharing your recipe on it.
This pasta looks divine…I can’t wait to make your recipe, I love broccoli but never had it with pasta…
That sounds like a fabulous combination. I love pasta and broccoli. The crunchy texture adds to the dish and panko is perfect for this.
We’ve done a few crunchy spaghetti recipes and it’s amazing how something tastes with just a different texture. Sounds like a yummy dish x
I love pasta and this would be perfect for me, I do love broccoli as well, definitely a recipe to try
Looks so yummy! Thank you for sharing the recipe. I can’t wait to try it.
I love the sound of all the textures and flavours in this – definitely going to try this for a different twist on mid week pasta.
That looks so delicious, I’d love to have this with my family soon. Thanks for sharing!
Such a simple recipe but I bet this is super tasty and healthy as well to make as a weekday lunch meal
This looks like a really healthy and filling pasta dish! I love the idea of having it with a bit of a crunch.