Lemony Broccoli Pasta with Butter-Toasted Pine Nuts
Make this easy broccoli pasta with a buttery lemon sauce for a family-friendly side or main course! Top it with a generous grating of parmesan cheese.
Servings: 4
Cost: $8.00
Equipment
- Stockpot
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Small Skillet
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 2 medium broccoli heads (about 1 1/2 pounds, or use 10 ounces pre-chopped florets)
- 12 ounces dried pasta (I like pipe rigate or shells)
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup pine nuts
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1 lemon, juice and zest
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water. Season the water generously with salt. It’s especially important that you season the water well in this recipe because the salted water is going to be the primary thing that seasons both the pasta and the broccoli. Bring the water to a boil.
- Slice off and discard the stem of the broccoli heads. Chop the florets into bite-sized pieces.(Note: If using pre-chopped florets, you’ll likely need to chop these down into smaller pieces.) You want the broccoli florets to be about the same size as the shape of pasta you’re using.
- Heat a small skillet with the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Cook these together until the butter foams and then the foaming subsides, about 5 minutes. Then stir in the pine nuts and cook, stirring constantly, until the pine nuts are golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes more. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant. Move the pan off the heat.
- At this point the water for the pasta should be boiling. Add the pasta and set a timer according to the recommended cook time on the package. When there are 3 minutes remaining, add the broccoli florets and simmer them with the pasta. Drain the pasta and broccoli and transfer them to a large mixing bowl.
- Pour the butter, olive oil, and pine nuts over the pasta. Add the lemon zest and juice and gently stir everything together until combined. Stir in about 3/4 cup of the parmesan cheese (you can just eyeball it).
- Transfer the pasta to a serving plate or bowl and top it with the remaining parmesan. Serve warm.
Nutrition
Calories: 648kcal | Carbohydrates: 92g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 544mg | Potassium: 1340mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 2121IU | Vitamin C: 286mg | Calcium: 394mg | Iron: 5mg