Easy Italian Broccoli Pasta Recipe with Parmesan & Lemon

This simple yet delicious broccoli pasta recipe with parmesan, garlic, red pepper flakes and lemon is one of my go-to's. It's super flavorful, only requires a handful of ingredients, and is beyond easy to throw together.

Why You'll Love it?

This Easy broccoli pasta recipe is pure comfort food made with basic ingredients. It's just one of those perfect pasta dishes that the whole family will love. 

I love how this pasta dish easily blends the buttery richness of a homemade broccoli sauce with the bright, fresh flavor of lemon and a hint of heat from red pepper flakes. 

It’s a perfect choice for busy weeknights when you need something that is both satisfying and easy to prepare.

Like most of my work, this tasty broccoli pasta recipe is designed with ease in mind, making it ideal for those who appreciate delicious recipes without a lot of fuss.

To start, you’ll first need to prepare a large pot of salted water and bring it to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Cook your pasta according to the package directions, but be sure to save some pasta cooking water to help create that broccoli sauce later on.

While the pasta cooks, you’ll turn your attention to the broccoli. The easy steps involve cooking the broccoli in a skillet until tender, then combining it with garlic, a hint of lemon, and some red pepper flakes. Although I prefer the sauce as-is, you can use an immersion blender to achieve a smooth, delicious sauce that clings perfectly to your pasta. 

If the sauce seems too thick, simply add the reserved pasta cooking water a little at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.

 Once everything is combined, toss your pasta with the broccoli sauce. And within minutes, you’ll have a beautiful pasta dish that’s both flavorful and wholesome. 

And, if you're looking for a creamy broccoli pasta recipe, be sure to try my Pasta con Broccoli Limone or my Broccoli Boursin Pasta with a beautiful creamy sauce!

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Dry Pasta: I'm using Mafalda Pasta but you could substitute for another type of pasta shape. If you want to try an alternative pasta, like a gluten-free pasta or a protein pasta, go for it!
• Salted Butter: Unsalted works as long as you add a pinch of salt!  You could also sub for vegan butter. 
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Olive oil is best but you could sub for avocado oil. 
• Red Pepper Flakes: If you don't like red pepper flakes, you can leave them out but they add so much depth to the dish so I don't recommend it. 
• Fresh Broccoli: No real substitutions for broccoli since this is a broccoli pasta - hah! You can use frozen broccoli florets, or other cruciferous vegetables
• Fresh Garlic: Since we're using lots of garlic, fresh is best but the shelf stable jarred minced kind will also work. 
• White Wine: If you don't want to use wine, sub it for chicken broth or vegetable broth.
• Lemon: Lemon adds so much to this recipe so I recommend using fresh lemon.
• Parmesan Cheese: Feel free to sub any Italian style aged cheese instead of parmesan cheese. You could also use nutritional yeast if you're trying to make this broccoli lemon pasta vegan. 
• Kosher Salt: I always recommend cooking with kosher salt. But if you don't have any, you can use another type - just adjust accordingly. 
• Fresh Cracked Black Pepper: I love finishing this easy broccoli pasta recipe with fresh cracked black pepper but that is totally optional. 
• Optional Additions: Want to add more to this easy meal?! Try adding heavy cream and italian seasoning for a flavorful cream sauce with a Tuscan spin. Blend up veggies like sauteed yellow onion and spinach if you've got picky eaters and need to hide veggies. And try finishing this easy recipe with fresh herbs like fresh parsley or even basil. 

How to Make Simple Broccoli Garlic Pasta

This Garlic Broccoli con Pasta is one those easy recipes that's always perfectly delicious. Here's the tips and tricks on how to make it:

• Prep Ingredients: Since you'll want the broccoli mixture to coat the pasta, I recommend cutting the fresh broccoli into small chunks - almost shaved. Even if you've got small florets, I think it's best to roughly chop it so it's a super fine texture.
• Prep Water & Pasta: To begin, boil a large pot of water with plenty of salt. Once boiling, add dry pasta and cook til al dente. Since cooking time may vary, be sure to cook according to the package instructions. Strain once ready, and save a cup of the cooking water. 
• Cook Vegetables: Meanwhile, add 2 tablespoon butter and olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat with a hefty pinch of red pepper flakes.  Once it starts to sizzle, add the small florets of broccoli, garlic, and a pinch of salt and cook until you the garlic is fragrant.
• Deglaze with White Wine: Stir it up and add white wine, letting it cook out and reduce for a few minutes.

• Add Cooked Pasta: Add the cooked pasta back in with a little more butter.
• Add Finishing Touches: Add parmesan, lemon juice and lemon zest and stir. If the sauce is too thick, add half cup of the reserved pasta water to the side, a little bit of water at a time, and stir until each noodle has a glossy finish.

Serve:  To serve, top each bowl with a little bit more parmesan cheese and some more red pepper flakes for garnish.

Save: You can place any of your broccoli parmesan pasta leftovers in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

What to serve with it?

 is a delicious meal on its own, but try some of these

• ​Cacio e pepe carrots and green beans
• Lemony Boursin Chicken Meatballs with Cheesy Asparagus Orzo
• Dutch Oven Beef Stew Recipe with Lipton Onion Soup Mix
• Easy Sausage Balls Recipe with Cream Cheese & Bisquick
• Goat Cheese Pepperoni Pizza Dip with Hot Honey

For more simple pasta recipes or traditional pasta recipes that are perfect for easy dinners, check out my collection here. 

Recipe