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The simplest weeknight-style Roasted Broccoli Pasta Carbonara with Crispy Prosciutto and Whipped Ricotta. A classic creamy Italian carbonara sauce, but updated with roasted broccoli, crispy prosciutto, and the creamiest whipped ricotta cheese. This simple broccoli pasta carbonara is made in under an hour and makes for a vibrant, but still cozy, creamy pasta bowl that’s perfect for any day of the week too. And the true bonus? Everyone loves this dish!
So, I know it’s “healthy January” and all, but I think every week deserves a good bowl of pasta. And let’s be honest, all the broccoli keeps the bowl colorful and on the healthy side, you know what I mean?
The truth is, I’ve found this year’s healthy January to be a little trickier than in year’s pasta. I don’t know if it’s the cold, grey winter days we’ve had this past week or the fact that we’re at home right now with very few plans. Either way, I’m craving heartier recipes this January. Thankfully, I’ve been able to healthify a lot of my favorites, like the “Taco Bell” Crunchwraps, my go-to winter Pesto Pasta, doughnuts, and even chocolate chip cookies too.
And today, it’s all about pasta carbonara. But updated carbonara, with lots of roasted broccoli for added color and the creamiest, creamless sauce.
At first glance, you might not think you can pull this off with only a handful of ingredients. But the truth is, this pasta is so simple. It’s made using a lot of ingredients you might even have on hand right now.
Let me break the ingredients down for you…
You need broccoli, prosciutto, eggs, parmesan cheese, garlic, herbs (these can be fresh or dried), pasta, and ricotta cheese. Personally, I always have these ingredients on hand. If I don’t have fresh broccoli, I usually always have another vegetable I can roast up instead. And if I don’t have the herbs called for, then I most definitely have dried.
So, this is the pasta I call my pantry staple pasta. Whatever I don’t have on hand, I swap with what I do. But the very most important ingredients…broccoli (or a veggie), eggs, and cheese. You’ve got to have those.
With a short cook time, you can imagine this recipe is easy. First things first, you should pull out all of your ingredients. The key to a good carbonara is to serve it right after tossing. So having everything prepped and ready to go before cooking is key.
Start with the broccoli and prosciutto. The broccoli gets roasted with a little bit of garlic. I like to bake the prosciutto right alongside the broccoli to keep things simple. It also ensures the prosciutto gets evenly cooked and crispy all around.
Just as the broccoli finishes cooking, I like to toss it with lemon zest. The heat from the broccoli infuses everything with a touch of brightness and freshness.
Now, onto that creamy whipped ricotta. I want to start off by saying that this is an extra step that you don’t have to take. But I will say that it elevates the pasta, making it just a touch more special than all the rest.
So I think it’s worth the extra five minutes. Simply add the ricotta to a food processor and process until smooth and creamy.
Just before the broccoli finishes roasting, I like to boil up the pasta and whisk the eggs with parmesan. If you’ve never made a carbonara pasta, it’s a classic Italian pasta dish. It’s unique in that it uses raw eggs. Tossing the raw eggs with hot pasta and plenty of parmesan cheese creates a delicious creamy sauce without actually having to use any cream at all. The heat from the pasta cooks the eggs and produces the silkiest, smoothest, and creamiest pasta sauce. It’s melt in your mouth good. If you’ve tried my butternut squash pasta carbonara, you’re already familiar with just how creamy and delicious this sauce is.
As soon as the pasta finishes cooking, immediately toss it with the eggs. This step is really important, but don’t worry it’s also really easy. Just be sure to toss, toss, toss for a good minute until the sauce thickens. You’ll then have perfect Roasted Broccoli Pasta Carbonara.
By now, the broccoli and prosciutto should be just finishing up in the oven.
This is how I put it all together… Spread that whipped ricotta into the bottom of each pasta bowl before adding the hot pasta carbonara. Top each bowl with broccoli and crispy prosciutto, then enjoy immediately. Once the pasta hits the ricotta it slowly starts to sink in, warming the cheese, and making every twirl of pasta so delicious.
It’s not the most traditional, but it is so, so good. The perfect pasta that’s easy enough for a Wednesday night, but feels special enough for the weekend too!
Looking for more winter pasta? Here are a few favorites:
Crispy Roasted Cauliflower with Creamy Pesto Pasta
Butternut Squash Pasta Carbonara with Rosemary Bacon
One Pot Creamy Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
Lastly, if you make this Roasted Broccoli Pasta Carbonara with Crispy Prosciutto and Whipped Ricotta, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
YUMMMMM. So amazing. The sauce is delicious because it is super light while still giving that cheesy deliciousness. I highly recommend. The only thing I will do in the future, is add some menchego cheese to the egg mixture. I also did some sundried tomatoes instead of prosciutto and it was beyond good. Another amazing recipie from HBH. Honestly my dinners are now almost all from HBH, my family just loves it!
Hey Michelle,
I am so thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for trying it out!! xTieghan
My roommate and I made this dish last week! Overall, it was delicious and easy to make. Season and roast the veggies, bake, throw on the prosciutto, boil the pasta, add the egg/cheese mixture, whip the ricotta, and throw it all together on a plate.
The prosciutto and broccoli were the stars of the plate. The sauce wasn’t super flavorful, but we used a bag of parmesan we had from the grocery store and should have used fresh parmesan like the instructions said. I think it would have had more flavor with fresh/aged parm. The ricotta at the bottom was yummy, but it needed more flavor. We ended up adding some salt and lemon juice to it and it really amplified the flavor. Used the leftover ricotta with raspberry jam and toast the next day.
Hey Sammy,
I am so thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for trying it out!! xTieghan
Another delicious HBH recipe! My only changes were using Asiago instead of Parmesan (because that’s what I had), and adding the garlic to the sheet pan at the halfway point with the prosciutto because I was afraid it would burn.
So good!!
Hey Bethany,
I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! Have the best week. xTieghan
The roasted broccoli with duck bacon (we’re pork free) is genius! Wondering if/how to season the carbonara to taste? I found mine to be lacking saltiness. Thanks for being such an inspiration, I look forward to your content daily!
Hey Thy Le,
I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! Have the best week. xTieghan
Amazing! Thank you!
Having leftovers tonight. So good!
Hey Jane,
I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! Have the best week. xTieghan
I made this for lunch, took less than 30. i just squeezed a little lemon juice on top instead of zest because I was on a time crunch. I used fresh pasta and it’s honestly the best version of a carbonara I’ve ever had. ever.
Hey Trang,
I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! Have the best week. xTieghan
Hello! Do you think this could work with spaghetti squash if we are trying to eat lower carb?
Hey Elizabeth,
Yes, I think spaghetti squash would work well here. I hope you love this recipe! xTieghan
I made this and loved it!! It came together fast. I think next time I will use half the lemon zest, but otherwise won’t change a thing. Thanks for all your super good recipes. I always know it will turn out great since you wrote the recipe!
Hey Kelly,
I am thrilled you liked the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a go! Happy Sunday:) xTieghan
This was delicious! I omitted the prosciutto and used sun dried tomatoes! The roasted broccoli and garlic – to die for! YUM! It was light and had great flavor from the lemon zest, fresh thyme, basil and a bit of a kick with the red pepper flakes. Served with crusty bread. Boom! Happy guys!
Hey Peg,
I am thrilled you liked the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a go! Happy Sunday:) xTieghan
Amazing. So delicious and one of my favorite pasta dishes you’ve made so far!
Hey Sally,
I am thrilled you liked the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a go! Happy Sunday:) xTieghan
Literally the first time I’ve made a recipe and it looked EXACTLY like it was supposed to! directions were clear and concise and easy to follow. Tasted amazing;) ) My family absolutely loved it and am excited to try more delicious recipes on the site. So glad I was introduced to half baked harvest and the lovely world you are creating.
Hey Kathy,
I am thrilled you liked the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a go! Happy Sunday:) xTieghan
Super easy and so luscious! Definitely very hearty/filling. Huge hit for my fam!
Hey Alejandra,
I am thrilled you liked the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a go! Happy Sunday:) xTieghan
What a pile of doggy dodos
We loved this recipe, Tieghan! The broccoli, prosciutto and whipped ricotta take this to the next level—much more interesting than the usual carbonara! Thank you!
Hey Cari,
I am thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for trying it out. Have a great weekend! xTieghan
“The truth is, I’ve found this year’s healthy January to be a little trickier than in year’s pasta.” Truer words have never been spoken haha! This recipe is dynamite. Love, love bringing lemon into dishes. Tomorrow I’m trying the raspberry lemon brioche rolls. Yummy!
Hey Alissa,
LOL glad I’m not alone! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Have a great weekend! xTieghan