20-minute Broccoli Pasta al Limone

Dinner in 20? Yes please! Creamy, lemon Pasta al Limone with broccoli is a delicious dinner recipe, ready in a flash!

Ingredients

Full recipe + amounts can be found in the recipe card below. 

• Broccoli. I used broccolini but you can use regular broccoli too.
• Pasta. I like a short shape for this so I used rigatoni. Penne, Fusilli or Orechiette will also be delicious.
• Garlic. 
• Fresh lemon.
• Cream. Heavy/Whipping cream.
• Parmesan. Pecorino or Grana Padano will also work.
• Salt and pepper.

How to make broccoli pasta al limone

1. Prepare the broccoli: Chop the broccoli stalks and set aside. Larger florets can be split in halves or quarters.
2. Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and add the pasta. Boil for 8 minutes (or until very almost cooked through) then add the broccoli florets. Cook until the broccoli is tender and the pasta is cooked. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water and drain.
3. Make sauce: In a large pan, melt butter or add a few tablespoons of olive oil. Add the garlic and broccoli stems and cook for a few minutes. Pour in the cream, lemon juice and zest and season. Allow to simmer for a few minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly and coats the back of a spoon easily. Tip the drained pasta and broccoli into the sauce and add a splash of pasta cooking water. Toss to coat in sauce, adding more pasta water if necessary. Add a generous amount of grated cheese, toss and serve.

Can I make this ahead?

The pasta and broccoli can be cooked ahead, drained and added to the sauce to heat through. The finished recipe can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a pan set over medium heat and add a splash of water to allow the sauce to become creamy again.

Broccoli recipes

1. Cheesy Broccoli Chicken Pasta Bake
2. 10-minute lemon garlic sautéed broccolini
3. Easy broccoli cheese soup