Photo of Spaghetti with broccoli sauce by WW

Spaghetti with broccoli sauce

5
Points®
Total Time
35 min
Prep
15 min
Cook
20 min
Serves
6
Difficulty
Easy
Bring something familiar-yet-new to your table in just over 30 minutes with this delightful pasta dish. Warm whole wheat spaghetti is the base adding an earthy layer, while yummy broccoli gets cooked to tender and blended with cream cheese into a wonderful sauce. A hint of crushed red pepper and some parmesan cheese finish the dish beautifully. Add some blistered grape tomatoes for a hit of color and added vegetables, or slice and sear some yellow squash and stir into the pasta. Make it vegetarian for a meatless meal by using vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth. Serve with a crunchy green salad to complete the meal.

Ingredients

Cooking spray

2 spray(s)

Olive oil

1 Tbsp

Onion

1 medium, chopped

Uncooked whole wheat spaghetti

8 oz

Chicken broth

1 cup(s)

Broccoli

6 cup(s), chopped, florets, fresh or frozen

Low fat cream cheese

¼ cup(s), softened

Table salt

½ tsp

Crushed red pepper flakes

¼ tsp

Grated Parmesan cheese

¼ cup(s), high-quality recommended

Instructions

  1. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat; add oil. When oil begins to shimmer, add onions; sauté until onions turn translucent and start to caramelize, about 12 to 15 minutes.
  2. While onions are caramelizing, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta but reserve some cooking liquid. Do not cool pasta with cold water.
  3. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over high heat, bring broth to a boil. Add broccoli, reduce heat to medium-low and cover tightly; cook for 10 minutes. Remove broccoli from broth with a slotted spoon and add broccoli to sautéed onions; reserve broth.
  4. Add cream cheese to onion-broccoli mixture; stir until cream cheese dissolves. Simmer gently over low heat, about 5 minutes.
  5. Scrape onion mixture into a food processor and add reserved broth, salt and red pepper flakes; puree until smooth.
  6. Place pasta in a serving dish and top with sauce; sprinkle with cheese. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Notes

Thin sauce out with reserved pasta water, if desired.