• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Vidhya’s Vegetarian Kitchen logo
  • Home
  • About
    • VVK Galleries
    • VVK YouTube Channel
    • VVK Mentions
    • Privacy & Copyright Policies
  • Recipes
  • Shop
    • Amazon Shop
    • Cookbooks
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Shop
  • Contact Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » International » Easy Cream Cheese Pasta with Broccoli

    Easy Cream Cheese Pasta with Broccoli

    Posted on March 17, 2023 · Last Updated on March 17, 2023 · By Srividhya G · Leave a Comment

    16 shares
    • Share1
    • Tweet
    • Reddit
    Jump to Recipe Card
    cream cheese pasta with text overlay for pinterest

    Quick and delicious cream cheese pasta with broccoli! Easy and customizable pasta recipe you can whip in less than 30 minutes! Check out how to make this creamy pasta recipe with step-wise pictures.

    close up shot of creamy pasta with broccoli served in bowl

    After a long and hectic day, we all look for quick and easy dinner recipes. I have quite a few easy dinner and lunch recipes on my blog, and I will share a couple more that you can make quickly and effortlessly this week. Here is the first recipe – creamy pasta with cream cheese. If you all love pasta like us, check out my 10 easy vegetarian pasta recipes. 

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients required
    • Variations
    • Dietary specifications and storing suggestions
    • How to make cream cheese pasta
    • Recipe Notes
    • More pasta recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    This cream cheese pasta is,

    ✔ super easy to make. The only time-consuming part is bringing the water to a boil. I usually set my water to boil in my electric kettle, which makes the process easier.  

    ✔ easy to customize. You can add veggies and seasonings of your choice and customize them to your taste preference. 

    ✔ a great lunch and dinner option.

    Ingredients required

    Pasta: You can use pasta of your choice. I used regular wheat pasta. You can use gluten-free pasta or lentil, quinoa-based pasta of your choice. Make sure to cook the pasta aldente as per the packaging instructions.

    Vegetables: Vegetables are optional in this pasta. But no harm in adding some vegetables. You can add flash-cooked vegetables to make the pasta more colorful and healthy.

    Cream cheese: This is the key ingredient, and I used an 8oz block for this measure, and we need this amount for this pasta. You can add more cheese or milk for a rich and creamy taste, but that’s not required. 

    Seasonings & condiments: I love Trader Joe’s seasonings, and I used their 21 seasonings salute mix for this pasta. You can use Italian seasoning or dried herbs that you have in hand. I have also used honey mustard, and it adds a nice flavor, but that’s completely optional.

    Apart from these ingredients, we also need salt and water. Please check the recipe card for exact measurements.

    Variations

    This version of the cream cheese pasta I shared here is very basic. Some variations that you can try are,

    • Along with cream cheese, you can use more parmesan and pesto for creamy pesto pasta. 
    • When the cream cheese is softening with pasta, you can parallelly heat oil or butter, roast some garlic, saute mushrooms, and add it to the pasta for a creamy garlic mushroom pasta. 
    • Add roasted or sauteed vegetables or canned beans to this pasta. 

    Note: While you can use precooked pasta for other dishes, for this recipe, I highly recommend cooking the pasta when you are making this dish. As soon you drain the water, and when the pasta is still hot, we add the cream cheese and let it sit for some time to soften. It helps in even melting the cheese and is easy to mix. I learned this idea from the Salt and Lavender website, which works well. 

    broccoli cream cheese pasta served in two bowls

    Dietary specifications and storing suggestions

    This pasta is a vegetarian, nut-free rennet-free cheese pasta. Use gluten-free pasta for a gluten-free dish. I have only refrigerated this pasta for up to two days and have yet to try freezing them. You can reheat this pasta in a saucepan by adding milk and enjoy it warmly. 

    How to make cream cheese pasta

    Blanch the broccoli florets.

    • Add the broccoli florets to a bowl and 2 cups of boiling water. Cover the bowl, let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes, and drain the water. 

    Cook the pasta

    • Cook the pasta as per the package instructions. For this Gemelli pasta, I used 7 cups of water with 2 tsps of salt. When the water comes to a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook until it is aldente. It took me approx 10 minutes.
    cooking the pasta

    Drain the pasta and add cream cheese.

    • Reserve ¾ to 1 cup of pasta water and drain the remaining water. Immediately transfer the drained pasta to the sauce pot, place the cream cheese on top, and add the broccoli florets. Cover the sauce pot and let it sit for 5 minutes – no need to turn the heat on. This step is very important. Do not let the pasta cool. The cream cheese block softens quickly when the pasta is hot.
    adding cream cheese and broccoli

    Add the condiments

    • After five minutes, turn the heat on. Over medium-low heat, add the pasta water and mix the pasta and cheese nicely. The cream cheese will be soft, and you can mix it easily. 
    pasta after cheese mixed
    • Add the honey mustard sauce, pepper, and the 21 seasoning salute or Italian seasoning. If needed, add the milk and mix well. I did not add any extra milk. 
    adding the seasonings
    • Mix well and serve hot immediately.

    Recipe Notes

    • Ensure you add sufficient salt when cooking the pasta. We are not adding any additional salt later.
    • You can add more cheese, like parmesan or cheddar, for a more rich and creamy flavor.
    • Instead of broccoli or along with broccoli, you can add green peas or asparagus. You can also add other steamed veggies that you have in handy. 
    • Please check the variations section for more options. 
    overhead shot of cream cheese pasta served in ceramic bowl

    More pasta recipes

    • Basil Pesto Pasta with Mushrooms
    • Asian Pasta Salad
    • Simple Macaroni Salad | Pasta Salad with Veggies
    • Vegetarian Taco Pasta Salad With Avocado Hemp Hearts Dressing

    Loved this recipe?

    If you try this cream cheese pasta please don’t forget to comment and rate this recipe. If you have any questions, please leave a comment, and I will get to it ASAP. Make sure to follow me on my Pinterest or Instagram or join my Facebook Group for recipe updates and simple Indian meal ideas.

    📖 Recipe

    cream cheese pasta served in two bowls with fork inside
    Pin Recipe Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Easy Cream Cheese Pasta with Broccoli

    Quick and delicious cream cheese pasta with broccoli! Easy and customizable pasta recipe you can whip in less than 30 minutes! Check out how to make this creamy pasta recipe with step-wise pictures.
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time20 mins
    Total Time25 mins
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 375kcal
    Author: Srividhya G

    Equipment

    • Saucepan or kadai

    Ingredients

    Measurement Details: 1 cup: 240ml; 1 tbsp: 15ml; 1 tsp: 5ml;

    • 250 grams pasta I used Gemelli pasta, 8.5 oz approx
    • 10 cups water divided
    • 2 tsp salt
    • 2 broccoli head small heads or approx 15 florets
    • 8 oz cream cheese
    • 1 tbsp honey mustard optional
    • 1 tsp black pepper or to taste
    • 1 tsp Trader Joe's 21 seasoning salute refer notes
    • ½ cup milk optional

    Instructions

    Blanch the broccoli florets.

    • Add the broccoli florets to a bowl and 2 cups of boiling water. Cover the bowl, let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes, and drain the water.

    Cook the pasta

    • Cook the pasta as per the package instructions. For this Gemelli pasta, I used 7 cups of water with 2 tsps of salt. When the water comes to a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook until it is aldente. It took me approx 10 minutes.

    Drain the pasta and add cream cheese.

    • Reserve ¾ to 1 cup of pasta water and drain the remaining water. Immediately transfer the drained pasta to the sauce pot, place the cream cheese on top, and add the broccoli florets. Cover the sauce pot and let it sit for 5 minutes – no need to turn the heat on. This step is very important. Do not let the pasta cool. The cream cheese block softens quickly when the pasta is hot.

    Add the condiments

    • After five minutes, turn the heat on. Over medium-low heat, add the pasta water and mix the pasta and cheese nicely. The cream cheese will be soft, and you can mix it easily.
    • Add the honey mustard sauce, pepper, and the 21 seasoning salute or Italian seasoning. If needed, add the milk and mix well. I did not add any extra milk.
    • Mix well and serve hot immediately.

    Notes

    • Ensure you add sufficient salt when cooking the pasta. We are not adding any additional salt later.
    • You can add more cheese, like parmesan or cheddar, for a more rich and creamy flavor.
    • Instead of broccoli or along with broccoli, you can add green peas or asparagus. You can also add other steamed veggies that you have in handy.
    • Please check the variations section for more options.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 375kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 1003mg | Potassium: 823mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1811IU | Vitamin C: 181mg | Calcium: 185mg | Iron: 2mg

    I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @vidhyasvegetariankitchen or tag #vidhyasvegkitchen
    For Video RecipesCheck out My YouTube Channel
    16 shares
    • Share1
    • Tweet
    • Reddit

    Filed Under: International

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome

    Author Vidhya smiling in the renovated kitchen

    Hello all, I am Srividhya, the person behind this blog. I firmly believe that the mouth is the way to the heart. My blog is all about vegetarian and vegan food with unique and exciting recipes from all over the world. From traditional, authentic recipes to fusion and eggless bakes, you can find it all here! Read more →

    Enjoy My Cookbooks

    Two cookbooks beautifully presented on the table

    Discover the diverse and delicious taste of South India, eggless recipes made in Instant Pot and other deliciousness! Find out more →

    Sign Up to Newsletter

    Must-Try Soup Recipes 

    • Vegan Miso Ramen Soup With Tofu
    • Easy Pumpkin Soup | Pumpkin Shorba
    • Vegan Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup | Instant Pot Wild Rice Soup
    • Broccoli Almond Soup (Instant Pot Method)

    As Featured On

    As seen on logo banner

    YouTube

    Follow me on YouTube for regular recipe videos and insights from my kitchen!

    Follow

    Disclosure

    VVK is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program - an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate VVK earns from qualifying purchases. Privacy Policy →

    Most Popular Posts

    • Tofu Scramble | Scrambled Tofu Breakfast Burrito
    • Pesto Mozzarella Sandwich
    • Sweet Corn and Steel Cut Oats Soup
    • Aloo Masoor Dal | Potato With Red Lentils
    • Alu Diye Cholar Dal | Bengali-Style Lentils with Potatoes
    • Kollu Rasam | Horsegram Soup

    Explore Your Favorites

    15 + Mango Recipes

    25 + Easy South Indian Instant Pot Recipes

    10 + Must Try Vegetarian Pasta Recipes

    20 + Kids Friendly Lunch Box Recipes

    20 + Indian Lentils Recipes Made in Instant Pot

    Footer


    VVK is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program - Privacy Policy
    HOME | ABOUT | CONTACT US

    Footer

    ↑ Back to Top

    VVK horizontal logo

    About

    • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy

    Cooking

    • Sign Up to Newsletter
    • All Recipes
    • My Cookbooks
    • My Amazon Shop

    VVK is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program

    Copyright © 2023 | VidhyasHomeCooking.com