The Time-Saving Tip You Need To Cook Pasta With Frozen Broccoli

When you're exhausted, hungry, and looking for a nourishing meal, few things can beat a bowl of pasta with some veggies from the freezer. There isn't much that's easier and more affordable than tossing some broccoli with spaghetti or penne. What's great about this meal is that you can cut your prep time right down to around 10 minutes.

First, boil a large pan of water, then add in a generous amount of kosher salt, before throwing in your chosen pasta. The next step is crucial: Don't bother heating up another pan for your broccoli. Instead, toss the broccoli into the boiling water — with the pasta — about three minutes before your pasta is ready to drain.

Blanching frozen broccoli in this way is so low-lift, you will barely even feel like you're cooking. By straining the cooked pasta and blanched broccoli together, you eliminate the time you'd typically take sauteing or steaming the frozen broccoli in a separate pan. What's truly great about this trick is that your vegetables cook in the salted pasta water, meaning they'll emerge well-seasoned and ready to eat.

While this recipe is truly basic — PB&J-level basic — it's incredibly easy to elevate if you have a little bit more time and energy. This late night, post-work dinner can be an easy starting point for a great dish.

To create a fast, easy sauce, reserve some of the drained pasta water when you drain the noodles. Keeping everything in the hot pan, toss the pasta, the reserved water, and broccoli with some added parmesan, black pepper, and a dab of butter. Pasta water is your secret weapon: The starchy liquid will turn creamy and cling to the pasta, creating the easiest sauce you could dream of.

If you're going for an ultra-green pasta that still feels effortless, toss some frozen kale into your boiling pot along with the broccoli, allowing them both to blanch for around three minutes.

And if adding parm feels a little run-of-the-mill, mix some feta or a scoop of ricotta into your pan sauce. Squeeze fresh lemon juice on top, and sprinkle in a few crushed red pepper flakes. Sure, it's not as quick as microwave mac and cheese (which, incidentally can also be improved with frozen veggies), but it's pretty darn close.