One-Pot Lemon Broccoli Pasta (Printable Version)

Spring-inspired pasta featuring tender broccoli, zesty lemon, and silky garlic sauce cooked in one pot.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta & Vegetables

01 - 12 oz dried spaghetti or linguine
02 - 4 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
03 - 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
04 - 1 small onion, finely chopped

→ Liquids

05 - 4 cups vegetable broth or water
06 - 1/2 cup whole milk or plant-based milk

→ Flavorings

07 - Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
08 - 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
11 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
12 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

→ Garnish

13 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet or pot over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and finely chopped onion, sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and translucent, but not browned.
02 - Add dried pasta, broccoli florets, vegetable broth, and milk to the pot. Stir thoroughly to combine and bring to a boil.
03 - Reduce heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, for 10-12 minutes until pasta reaches al dente consistency and most liquid has reduced to a silky sauce.
04 - Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, grated Parmesan cheese, sea salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Adjust seasoning to taste.
05 - Remove from heat and let stand 2-3 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken slightly.
06 - Serve hot, topped with additional Parmesan cheese and fresh herbs if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce creates itself while the pasta cooks, magic that feels like cheating but tastes like effort
  • Cleanup is literally one pot, meaning more time for wine and less time scrubbing dried starch off your stovetop
02 -
  • Do not rinse the pasta before serving—that starchy water is exactly what transforms the remaining liquid into restaurant-quality sauce
  • The timing matters, so start checking at 10 minutes because overcooked pasta will continue softening in the hot sauce
03 -
  • Reserve a splash of pasta-cooking liquid before it reduces completely, just in case you need to loosen the sauce later
  • Room temperature liquids help prevent shocking the garlic when they hit the hot pan
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