I do appreciate that at face value, broccoli pasta isn’t a huge sell. HOWEVER, what if I said this low FODMAP broccoli pasta, with its umami kick from the anchovies – or miso paste if you’d like to keep it veggie – is like a hug in a bowl. Soothing, rich and delicious, broccoli florets break down in a garlic (oil), chilli, umami miso/anchovy and stock bath, before being stirred through brown rice pasta with lemon zest and plenty of cheese.
I first saw the idea for this recipe on Feasting At Home. Sylvia talks about how after a week-long cooking class in Italy, a friend brought back this idea, inspired by a traditional Tuscan recipe he’d made over there. Jamie Oliver has a similar recipe too. The broccoli florets break down and orecchiette pasta holds the broccoli like a little scoop. I haven’t spotted gluten free orecchiette, so a gluten free shell pasta or fusilli like I’ve used are a lovely option.
A quick mention about broccoli and low FODMAP
Broccoli is often thought of as high FODMAP, however 75g of broccoli florets are in fact low FODMAP. It’s the stalk that’s higher FODMAP and contains different levels of FODMAPs compared to the broccoli head. Interesting, huh! For a full deep dive in to broccoli on the low FODMAP diet, this article is great. Also the Monash University FODMAP app also helps makes things a bit clearer. Just know, that for this recipe, as long as you still to portion sizes you’re all good. Enjoy!
Low FODMAP broccoli pasta recipe notes:
- You can use any gluten free pasta you like, I used RIZOPIA’s (one of my favourite GF pasta brands) Organic brown rice fusilli
- Toasted breadcrumbs would be delicious on top
- 75g of broccoli florets are low FODMAP, so be mindful to stick to portion sizes
- If you don’t have any stock to hand, you can use hot water
Ingredients
300g broccoli florets
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, more to taste
3 tablespoons garlic infused olive oil
1/2 a teaspoon chilli flakes
2 anchovies, or 1 heaped teaspoon miso paste
450ml hot FODMAP friendly stock
320g gluten free pasta of choice (see notes above)
Zest of 1/2 a lemon
80g parmesan cheese (or another hard vegetarian cheese), plus extra to sprinkle on top
Method
Steam or blanch the broccoli in salted boiling water until really tender and a butter knife can be pushed through easily – about five minutes.
Warm the garlic infused olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. When the oil is glossy, add the chilli flakes and anchovies if using, and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the anchovies start to melt away. If using miso paste instead, give the chilli flakes a minute in the pan by themselves, then stir in the miso pasta and cook for a further minute. Add in your broccoli and cook for 30 seconds, stirring to combine, followed by the stock.
Bring everything to a gentle simmer and encourage the broccoli to break apart and melt down. Continue cooking gently on low heat until the stock has reduced by about half, this will take about 10-12 minutes.
In the meantime, cook your pasta in salted water, according to packet instructions. When cooked, reserve half a mug of the pasta water and then drain. Add the pasta to your broccoli and stir to combine, adding a little pasta water if you would like the sauce a little thinner. Stir through the lemon zest then season to taste. Divide the pasta among four bowls and top with some more cheese and a few chilli flakes, if you like.
