Easy Healthy Broccoli Pasta (Print View)
Tender broccoli and garlic pasta with light olive oil sauce, ready in 30 minutes for a nutritious meal.
# What You'll 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)
# Method:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente.
02 - About 3 minutes before the pasta is done, add the broccoli florets to the pot. Cook until both pasta and broccoli are tender.
03 - Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and broccoli.
04 - 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.
05 - Add the drained pasta and broccoli to the skillet. Toss to combine, adding reserved pasta water as needed to create a light sauce.
06 - Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Remove from heat, sprinkle with parsley, and serve with extra Parmesan if desired.
# Insider Tips:
01 -
- Everything cooks in the same pot, so minimal cleanup and maximum flavor absorption
- The broccoli gets perfectly tender without turning mushy, and the pasta water creates an instant silky sauce
- Ready in 30 minutes but tastes like something that simmered all afternoon
02 -
- Adding broccoli directly to the pasta water isn't laziness—it infuses the vegetables with salty flavor and saves you from washing an extra pot
- The pasta water creates an emulsion with the olive oil, so your sauce actually clings to the pasta instead of pooling at the bottom of the bowl
03 -
- Cut your broccoli florets uniformly so they all cook at the same rate—nothing worse than some pieces mushy while others are still crunchy
- Add the garlic to cold oil and heat them together for gentler, sweeter flavor development