Name: How to Make Delicious Pasta with Broccoli and Carrots
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 cups rotini pasta.; 1 medium head of broccoli, cut into small florets.; 2 medium carrots, peeled and quite thinly sliced; Half a cup of red bell peppers, quite thinly sliced.; Half a cup of green onions, chopped.; 2 tablespoons butter. I used unsalted butter but salted would be fine too.; 2 cloves garlic, minced.; Salt, to taste; Black pepper, to taste.; A few pinches of red pepper flakes.; Fresh parsley for garnishing.

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You know those evenings when you want to eat something tasty but don’t feel like wrestling five pots and a sinkful of dishes? This pasta with broccoli and carrots is one of my go-to meals for days like that. It’s cozy, colorful, and packed with crunchy veggie goodness. Both healthy and satisfying. This dish is a great way to combine pasta with vegetables into a tasty, wholesome meal.

Ingredients for pasta with broccoli and carrots

2 cups rotini pasta. Rotini pasta has little flavor traps that are perfect for catching the seasonings and holding them in. Of course, other kinds of pasta can work great too.
1 medium head of broccoli, cut into small florets. Keep the pieces relatively small, e.g., by dividing larger florets into two or three. Slice through the stalk of the floret and break it apart. Easy peasy.
2 medium carrots, peeled and quite thinly sliced (you can slice them on the diagonal if you want them to look fancy).
Half a cup of red bell peppers, quite thinly sliced.
Half a cup of green onions, chopped.
2 tablespoons butter. I used unsalted butter but salted would be fine too.
2 cloves garlic, minced.
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste.
A few pinches of red pepper flakes.
Fresh parsley for garnishing.

Steps for pasta with broccoli and carrots

1. Boil the pasta

Start by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil. Toss in your rotini and cook according to the package directions — usually around 8 to 10 minutes — until it’s just al dente. Do not overcook your pasta by all means, or it will get mushy. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and set it aside. Don’t rinse! You want that bit of starch to help the butter cling better later.

2. Sauté the veggies

In a large skillet or frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Then, add the garlic and sauté for about 10 seconds — just until fragrant. You don’t want it to burn. Next, add your carrots and broccoli and let them cook for about 2 minutes. Stir constantly so that nothing burns.

3. Add Seasonings

Sprinkle in salt and black pepper to taste, and add some red pepper flakes if you don’t mind. The flakes not only beautify the dish but also enrich its flavor. Stir in the seasonings and continue cooking the dish for another minute.

4. Add red bell peppers and green onions

This second set of vegetables adds both color and texture to the dish. I like to think of them as the first step at garnishing, but really, they kinda do a little more than just garnish. Saute the veggies for another minute before adding pasta.

5. Bring it all together

Add the drained pasta into the skillet and toss everything together. Give it a minute or two on the heat so the pasta can soak up some of that buttery veggie flavor. You can add a little more butter or a splash of pasta water if it’s feeling dry.

6. Garnish and serve

Sprinkle fresh parsley and stir it in. Serve hot. This dish is lovely on its own, but you can pair it with some grilled or baked chicken if you’re going for a more filling meal.

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