Quick Broccoli Pasta with Lemon Parmesan Sauce

Name: Quick Broccoli Pasta with Lemon Parmesan Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 350 g dried short pasta; 2 heads broccoli; 1 cup shredded cheese; 1/2 cup Parmesan; 2 cloves garlic; 2 tsp lemon zest; 2 tbsp lemon juice; 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tsp mixed dried herbs; 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes; 1 tsp sugar; 3/4 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper

This quick broccoli pasta is bright, cheesy, and ready in about 15 minutes. Tender pasta and broccoli are tossed with a lemony olive oil sauce, Parmesan, garlic, herbs, and a gentle kick of red pepper flakes.

Servings4 Portions

Prep Time5 Mins

Cook Time10 Mins

Difficulty

Easy

Ingredients

dried short pasta
350 g
broccoli
2 heads
shredded cheese
1 cup
Parmesan
0.5 cup
garlic
2 cloves
lemon zest
2 tsp
lemon juice
2 tbsp
extra-virgin olive oil
5 tbsp
mixed dried herbs
1 tsp
red pepper flakes
0.5 tsp
sugar
1 tsp
salt
0.8 tsp
black pepper
0.5 tsp

Step-by-Step Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season it with 2 tsp salt. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions until just al dente.

While the pasta cooks, cut the broccoli into small, bite-size florets so they cook quickly and mix evenly with the pasta.

Add the broccoli to the pasta pot during the final 1-2 minutes of cooking. It should turn bright green and become tender-crisp.

In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, Parmesan, minced garlic, dried herbs, red pepper flakes, sugar, salt, and pepper.

Just before draining, reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and broccoli, then return them to the warm pot with the heat turned off.