Creamy lemon broccoli pasta

Creamy lemon broccoli pasta is a great vegetarian recipe for easy weeknight dinners or simple workplace lunches. Roasted broccoli adds flavor and texture to this family favorite.

This lemon broccoli pasta recipe has quickly become a family favorite in the Ryder-household. Not only because it is totally delicious and my kids happen to be obsessed with broccoli, but also because it’s so easy to make.

I often make the roasted broccoli during the day when I have some time or even the night before if I know the next day is going to be hectic. Then all that’s needed is for me to make a quick cream sauce and cook the pasta. This lemon and broccoli pasta makes the perfect vegetarian weeknight dinner and is also pretty amazing the next day for lunch.

How to make broccoli pasta

Preheat the oven and cut a large head of broccoli into small florets. Chop the stalks and place stalks and florets onto a large, rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, chilli flakes and lemon. Place in the hot oven and allow to roast until the broccoli is cooked and starting to crisp. Alternatively, blanch or steam the broccoli until bright green but still slightly underdone before adding to the pasta sauce.

To make the cream sauce, saute chopped onion and garlic in a pan over medium high heat until soft and translucent. Add the cream, seasoning and lemon juice and allow to come to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes then add the broccoli. Allow to simmer for another 5 minutes then add cooked pasta, Parmesan cheese and a few tablespoons of pasta water. Stir to coat the pasta in the sauce then serve with extra Parmesan cheese.

Broccoli recipes:

1. Cheesy broccoli bake
2. Easy healthy chicken broccoli soup
3. Broccoli cheese puffs
4. Marinated Broccoli, tomato & mozzarella salad

Pasta recipes:

1. Easy lemony spring pea pasta
2. Pasta with basil cream sauce
3. Easy creamy lemon garlic mushroom pasta

Creamy lemon broccoli pasta

Creamy lemon broccoli pasta is a great vegetarian recipe for easy weeknight dinners or simple workplace lunches. Roasted broccoli adds flavor and texture to this family favorite.

4.7 from 13 votes

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Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Broccoli pasta, Broccoli pasta recipe, easy dinner recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 345kcal

Author: Alida Ryder

Ingredients

• 500g/1lb broccoli florets, trimmed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp chili flakes
• pinch of salt
• pinch of pepper
• juice of ½ lemon

For the cream sauce

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup cream (heavy/whipping)
• juice of ½ lemon
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to aste
• 500g/1lb pasta, cooked
• ½ cup pasta cooking water
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

• Pre-heat the oven to 220ºc/430ºf. 
• Place the broccoli in a roasting tray and season with the oil, chilli flakes, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Toss to coat and place in the oven to roast for 30 minutes. 
• To make the sauce, saute the onion and garlic in a the olive oil until soft and translucent. 
• Add the cream, salt, pepper and lemon juice and allow to simmer until slightly thickened. 
• Add the broccoli and pasta to the sauce along with the Parmesan cheese and the pasta cooking water then stir over low heat until the sauce is thick and the pasta is creamy and glossy. 
• Serve with a little extra Parmesan. 

Nutrition

Calories: 345kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 42mg | Potassium: 427mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 860IU | Vitamin C: 74mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 1mg