Recipe: One-Pot Creamy Broccoli Pasta

After working my way through our new collection of one-pot pasta recipes, I finally realized what so many of you have known all along: They’re completely and utterly magical. Since the pasta boils directly with the sauce ingredients and soaks everything up as it cooks, the resulting dish is even more flavorful than I ever imagined.

I’ll be honest with you: I was always a little dubious of the one-pot pasta method. I mean, I can’t argue with the convenience factor, but I assumed the vegetables would be overcooked or the sauce would be watery. But boy was I wrong. My latest favorite is this family-friendly mix of al dente shells and crisp-tender broccoli, coated in a thick and creamy (but not at all heavy) sauce, thanks to one surprising ingredient.

Plain Greek yogurt isn’t the most common ingredient in a pasta dish, but trust me when I say after you’ve tried it once, you may never go back. Using it in place of heavy cream not only gives this one-pot pasta a wholesome protein kick, but it also lends a bit of tang to keep it from feeling too rich and heavy. The finished dish doesn’t taste like yogurt, and your whole family will likely be left guessing what the secret ingredient is.

The recipe calls for either grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese — both lend their signature saltiness to the dish. While I love the extra-nutty kick Pecorino gives, use whichever you have in your fridge. No matter what, this is a one-pot pasta you’ll definitely be putting on repeat.