Broccoli Alfredo Pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, salt the water heavily.

Place the frozen broccoli into a cold, dry pan. Turn the heat to medium and allow the pan and broccoli to heat up together.

If using, season the broccoli with butter, oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes as it cooks.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Stir immediately after adding to prevent sticking.

Before draining the pasta, reserve about a cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta.

Add 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water to the pan with the broccoli. Cook, stirring, until the water has completely evaporated.

Pour the jarred alfredo sauce over the broccoli in the pan.

Add 1 tablespoon of reserved pasta water to the sauce and stir well to emulsify. This helps the sauce stick to the pasta.

Bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Allow it to simmer and thicken to your desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings if you added them earlier.

Add the drained pasta to the pan with the broccoli and sauce. Stir everything together until the pasta is well-coated.

Plate the pasta and serve immediately.