Easy Healthy Broccoli Pasta (Printable Version)

Tender broccoli and garlic pasta with lemon and Parmesan in olive oil sauce

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz whole wheat penne or fusilli

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 large head broccoli (about 1 lb), cut into small florets
03 - 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
04 - 1 small lemon (zest and juice)
05 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

→ Sauce & Seasonings

06 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Cheese

09 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for serving; optional)

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. About 3 minutes before the pasta is done, add the broccoli florets to the pot. Cook until both pasta and broccoli are tender.
02 - Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and broccoli.
03 - In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic (and red pepper flakes, if using) and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add the drained pasta and broccoli to the skillet. Toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a light sauce.
05 - Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat, sprinkle with parsley, and serve with extra Parmesan if desired.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • The broccoli cooks right in the pasta water, infusing every bite with subtle sweetness while keeping cleanup to a minimum
  • A squeeze of fresh lemon transforms this from ordinary pasta into something bright and memorable
  • Ready in thirty minutes but tastes like it came from a proper Italian kitchen
02 -
  • Dont skip reserving that pasta water—it is the secret ingredient that transforms simple oil and lemon into restaurant quality sauce
  • Add broccoli to the boiling water exactly 3 minutes before pasta finishes—any longer and it turns mushy, any shorter and it stays stubbornly crunchy
03 -
  • Use a microplane or fine grater for the lemon zest—it catches only the fragrant outer layer without any bitter pith
  • Warm your serving bowls in the oven while cooking—hot pasta stays hotter longer, which makes such a difference

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