Broccoli, Chilli & Garlic Orecchiette (One Pot One Portion)
When the weather outside is crisp and cold, I turn to foods that warm, providing nourishing comfort from the inside out, and this one-pot pasta is an old favourite of mine. A humble dish that relies primarily on vegetables for it’s flavour, this pasta has heat from fresh red chillies, gentle warmth from garlic and black pepper, and a deep savouriness from bone broth and salty pecorino. Having grown up stricly on crunchy broccoli my mother may disapprove of this, but I think this particular bowl benefits from broccoli that *almost* softens entirely into the pasta, mingling and melting into one another. Orecchiette creates the perfect pool for the silky sauce, and any leftover can be mopped up with soft bread. An undemanding winter warmer that I know I’ll come back to year on year.
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This broccoli, chilli and garlic orecchiette is a single-serve, one-pan pasta designed for comforting solo cooking. Orecchiette is gently simmered with finely chopped broccoli, garlic and chilli in a light bone broth, creating a silky, savoury sauce. Finished with pecorino, lemon and black pepper, the flavour is warming, savoury and quietly bold. It’s a practical, nourishing meal for one that relies on simple ingredients and minimal washing up.
Why You’ll Want to Make This Recipe
Perfectly Portioned for One
This recipe is carefully scaled for a single portion, making it ideal for cooking for one without leftovers or waste. Every ingredient has a purpose, and nothing feels excessive.
Quick & Easy
With around 10 minutes of prep and a short simmer, this pasta comes together in under half an hour. It’s low-effort, unfussy cooking that still feels thoughtful and satisfying.
One Pot Cooking
Everything cooks in one shallow pan — pasta, vegetables and sauce together — meaning less washing up and a more relaxed cooking experience.
Gentle Winter Comfort
Softened broccoli, warming chilli and savoury pecorino make this pasta deeply comforting without feeling heavy, perfect for cold evenings when you want something restorative.
Eleanor’s Top Tips for the Perfect Broccoli, Chilli & Garlic Orecchiette
- Chop the broccoli very finely so it almost melts into the sauce.
- Cook the garlic gently — it should soften and sweeten, not brown.
- Use orecchiette or another pasta shape that holds sauce well.
- Keep the sauce loose; add extra water as needed for a silky finish.
- Stir frequently once the cheese is added to help emulsify the sauce.
- Taste before salting — pecorino and stock add plenty of seasoning.
- Finish with lemon juice for brightness rather than extra salt.
Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need
Essential Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil: Forms the flavour base of the dish.
- Garlic: Adds warmth and savoury depth.
- Broccoli: Softens into the sauce for body and flavour.
- Red chilli: Brings gentle heat and freshness.
- Orecchiette: Catches the silky sauce beautifully.
- Bone broth or stock: Creates a savoury, nourishing base.
- Pecorino: Adds saltiness and richness.
- Lemon juice: Balances the dish with acidity.
- Black pepper: Provides warmth and bite.
Essential Tools
- Shallow sauté pan with lid (20–22cm)
- Knife and chopping board
- Spoon or spatula
- Fine grater (for cheese)
Dietary Variations
Vegetarian
Use vegetable stock instead of bone broth.
Vegan
Replace pecorino with nutritional yeast or vegan hard cheese.
Gluten-Free
Use gluten-free short pasta and adjust liquid as needed.
Different Vegetables
Cauliflower, cavolo nero or finely sliced leeks work well in place of broccoli.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Can I use a different pasta shape?
A: Yes — small shapes like shells, conchiglie or rigatoni work well, but may need slight liquid adjustments.
Q: Should the broccoli stay crunchy?
A: No — this dish benefits from broccoli that softens and almost dissolves into the sauce.
Q: Can I make this without cheese?
A: Yes. Increase olive oil slightly and finish with extra lemon and black pepper.
Q: What pan size works best for this recipe?
A: A 20–22cm shallow pan allows the pasta to cook evenly while reducing the sauce properly.
Q: Can I store leftovers?
A: This is best eaten fresh, but leftovers can be stored for up to 24 hours and reheated gently with water.
This broccoli, chilli and garlic orecchiette is proof that cooking for one can be quietly comforting, deeply nourishing, and effortlessly satisfying.
Ingredients
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Cloves of Garlic, finely sliced
85g Broccoli, chopped into very small pieces
1 Red Chilli, 1/2 finely chopped and 1/2 finely sliced into rings
80g Orecchiette (or other short pasta)
400ml Chicken Bone Broth ( 400ml of Water with 1/2 Chicken/Vegetable Stock Cube)
25g Pecorino
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
Black Pepper
Salt (optional)
Instructions
- Heat a shallow pan over a medium heat. Add a generous drizzle of olive oil, enough to lightly coat the bottom of the pan, and add the sliced garlic.
- Let that soften for 3-4 minutes before adding the small broccoli florets and the half of the chilli that is finely chopped. Let that cook for 2 minutes.
- Tip in the orecchiette, followed by the bone broth or stock and let that simmer, with a lid on the pan, for 12-15 minutes, until the pasta is al dente, adding more water if necessary to keep the sauce loose.
- Turn the heat to low and add the pecorino, lemon juice and a crack of black pepper. Keep stirring until the sauce has emulsified. There should be enough sauce to create a silky broth that surrounds the pasta, so add more water if needed and continue stirring.
- Taste and season with salt, lemon or more black pepper if needed- the pasta should taste deep and savoury, with a brightness from lemon. Top with the finely sliced rings of red chilli and enjoy.
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Subscribe to my newsletter for weekly meal plans, for one! I select 5 one pot one portion recipes that use similar ingredients and include your shopping list plus recipe notes, ingredient swaps and tips and tricks for using up leftovers. Take a look at the first one here...
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The perfect fresh, but still flavourful, summer salad! This is a beautiful fragrant salad with a creamy, zingy coconut milk dressing. With just a little bit of chopping and a minute of whisking, you’ve got a gorgeous summer lunch, perfect for working from home, taking lunch to the office or a sunny meal in the garden this weekend.
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"One Pot One Portion is, to borrow from The Parent Trap “a brilliant beyond brilliant idea”…I know many feel that it’s too much bother to cook ‘just’ for themselves — a sad admission, I feel — and to those people, and many others besides, I say: get this book and prove yourself liberatingly wrong!…Thank goodness for books! And thank goodness for Eleanor Wilkinson, a young talent to lift the spirits…There are so many people who could benefit from this book…this book is a boon and a blessing"
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I buy a lot of cook books and this is genuinely one of the best l've ever bought. I've tried 6 or 7 recipes so far and they're all winners. I'm well used to scaling recipes down to one portion, but not having to calculate measurements as l go along feels like a little luxury. One of the best things about the book is that all the recipes are actually cooked in one pot - in a lot of other so-called books you still have to make your side dish in a separate pot. With these recipes, even if they include rice or pasta, it's all cooked together. No mountains of washing up! Highly recommended.
I have been following Eleanor on IG for a while and have made several of her dishes before the cookbook came out. I was thrilled to see so many new things to try and have already made about 6 of them. Her recipes are approachable, the dishes are delicious, and they make me feel like I can cook! Highly recommend.
If you love eating good home cooked food but can't be bothered to cook just for yourself, then this is the book for you. Using ingredients that are easy to find, then mixing, cooking and eating from the same pan or dish means a minimum of washing up. Every recipe I have tried so far has been delicious and have all turned out well which isn't always the case with many cookery books. Definitely recommend!
Following Eleanor on Instagram and seeing her recipes come to life is one thing but then having them in my own kitchen is quite another. Not only are the recipes easy to follow and delicious she also help you not to waste food. This book is like having all your favourite foods in one place with the added bonus of an old friend showing you the ropes. Congratulations Eleanor when can I pre-order the next one?
Bought this for my sister who cooks for one. She absolutely loved it finding it inspiring! So many great recipes to motivate and keep you cooking when it's just you eating!
Follow Eleanor on socials and knew I NEEDED this book immediately! SO glad I paid extra and had it shipped from the UK (to US). Eleanor's voice is loud and clear in every recipe. The pictures are beautiful, the instructions are perfectly clear, and I want to make EVERYTHING. I cannot recommend this book enough!
This is perfect, as far as influencer chefs go, I find this book refreshing in what has become a cohort of lauded influencers who really aren't doing much more than the bog standard meals most people make anyway, or making googled recipes and adding their own "flair". This book is different as it's your normal fare you'd likely make yourself, given a little bit of a twist to speed up the process / use less utensils / ingredients / food waste, in really creative and tasty ways, all perfectly portioned for one.
Great present! Bought this for my sister who cooks for one. She absolutely loved it finding it inspiring! So many great recipes to motivate and keep you cooking when it's just you eating!
Great present! Bought this for my sister who cooks for one. She absolutely loved it finding it inspiring! So many great recipes to motivate and keep you cooking when it's just you
Follow Eleanor on socials and knew I NEEDED this book immediately! SO glad I paid extra and had it shipped from the UK (to US). Eleanor's voice is loud and clear in every recipe. The pictures are beautiful, the instructions are perfectly clear, and I want to make EVERYTHING. I cannot recommend this book enough!
This recipe book is stunning and fulfils its role brilliantly in catering for individuals who want to eat delicious meals, but don't want to prepare family sized portions or devote their entire evening to cooking. Who'd believe you could make an entire roast for one person and only use one pan in the process! She is a genius and I couldn't recommend this book any more highly.
One of the best things about the book is that all the recipes are actually cooked in one pot - in a lot of other so-called books you still have to make your side dish in a separate pot. With these recipes, even if they include rice or pasta, it's all cooked together. No mountains of washing up!
This is the book I've been waiting for! I (very happily!) live alone, love to cook and read cookery books, but every recipe is for two people or more. This gorgeous book contains recipes perfectly proportioned for one person (and I'm always a very hungry one person!) which ensures more variety, less food waste, and pure, gluttonous joy.
It's so nice to finally have a recipe book that I can go to if I want a quick easy meal with minimal cleaning up required! Everything l've tried so far is delicious. And I salivate at the thought of everything in there!
Totally reignited my cooking mojo which had been MIA for a while. I'm going to buy my daughter a copy to take back to Uni too as everything is simple and delicious - perfect for a student!
Best cookbook for somebody single!
The fact I know I won't have loads to wash up really feels motivating and l've earmarked so many of the recipes already.
This book is like having all your favourite foods in one place with the added bonus of an old friend showing you the ropes. Congratulations Eleanor when can I pre-order the next one?