Creamy Lemon Broccoli Pasta

This creamy broccoli pasta recipe comes together fast and makes a delicious and comforting meatless meal! Great for a quick and easy weeknight dinner.

You may also like my One Pot Chicken and Broccoli Pasta or this Easy Creamy Lemon Pasta.

This dish doesn't take long to prepare, and I use the shortcut of cooking the broccoli with the pasta. You simply add the broccoli in 2-3 minutes prior to draining it, and you don't have to worry about dirtying up another pot to boil the broccoli separately. 

How to make easy creamy broccoli pasta (summary):

Boil a salted pot of water for the pasta. Cook the pasta al dente according to package directions, and add the broccoli in 2-3 minutes prior to draining it. Meanwhile make the sauce. Start by adding the butter to a skillet, and then once it's melted, sprinkle in the flour to make a quick roux. Add in the minced garlic, broth, lemon juice, and Italian seasoning. Let it reduce a bit, and then whisk in the cream and continue cooking until the sauce has thickened up. Finish the sauce by stirring in the parmesan, and then drain the pasta and broccoli and toss with the sauce. (Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below)

Recipe notes & tips:

• Broccoli cooking time will depend on how big the florets are chopped and how soft you like the broccoli, so I recommend trying one piece prior to draining the pot. 
• Sub the cream for something lower fat at your own discretion. The citrus in the sauce may curdle something like half-and-half or milk and the sauce will end up a bit thinner.
• As always, I recommend keeping a wedge of parmesan cheese in your fridge and grating your own. I used my Microplane to grate it for this recipe.
• Feel free to swap the penne with a different shape of pasta. 
• Add some crushed red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne pepper for a little heat if you like. 

Pasta and broccoli are a great combo! I hope you enjoy this simple recipe. 

Love broccoli? You may also like...

• Creamy Shrimp and Broccoli Pasta
• Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe
• Broccoli Chicken Divan
• Easy Broccoli Salad
• Tomato Orzo with Chicken Sausage and Broccoli

Questions about this lemon garlic broccoli pasta? Let me know in the comments below!

Creamy Broccoli Pasta

This creamy lemon broccoli pasta recipe comes together fast and makes a delicious and comforting meatless meal! 

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 531 kcal

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Ingredients

 

• 8 ounces uncooked pasta (I used penne)
• 3 heaping cups broccoli cut into small florets
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 tablespoon flour
• 1-2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
• 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Boil a large, salted pot of water. Cook the pasta al dente according to package instructions. When the pasta is 2-3 minutes away from being done, you will add the broccoli to the water.
• Add the butter to a skillet over medium-high heat, and once it's melted, stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
• To the skillet, add in the garlic, broth, lemon juice, and Italian seasoning. Let it bubble for a minute or so.
• Whisk in the cream and let it cook for a few minutes until it's thickened up to your liking, then stir in the parmesan cheese and take the pan off the heat.
• Drain the pasta and broccoli and add it to the skillet. If the sauce has thickened up too much, add a small splash of the pasta water prior to draining it. Season the pasta with salt & pepper (I'm generous with both) as needed and serve immediately with extra parmesan grated on top if desired.

Notes

• My broccoli was fairly soft after boiling it for 3 minutes (I cut it quite small). Do 1-2 minutes if you prefer more tender-crisp. It also depends how small you chop the florets, so it's a good idea to test one piece prior to draining the pot so you can cook it for a little extra if needed.
• Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition

Calories: 531kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 14gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 104mgSodium: 280mgPotassium: 419mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1550IUVitamin C: 63mgCalcium: 181mgIron: 1mg

Keyword creamy broccoli pasta recipe, creamy broccoli pasta sauce, easy broccoli pasta

Author Natasha Bull