About this recipe
Sometimes, the best meals are the simplest. This pasta with broccoli recipe is one you can make by heart, and it’s always going to be delicious—even if you change up the order or swap out the broccoli for something else. Trust me on this one, it’ll never disappoint!
Why I love this pasta with broccoli recipe?
This pasta with broccoli is the definition of “fast food”—but way better for you. Honestly, it’s faster than going out or waiting for takeout. Think about it: boiling water is quicker than driving to a restaurant, waiting in line, and getting home. Plus, you don’t have to worry about cold food or unhealthy ingredients. Instead, you’ve got a meal that’s not only fast but nourishing too.
If we teach our kids that eating healthy is easy and fun, they’ll carry that with them for life. That’s why this pasta with broccoli is such a winner! You can make it as creative as you like and still have it turn out amazing.
🔥NOTE
Did you know that the biggest fast-food chain in the world puts about 72 ingredients in a single hamburger? Yes, 72! Check it out on their website. Not a single healthy ingredient in sight. Yikes! That’s a lot of sodium and unhealthy fats, and not something I would want to feed my kids—and I bet you wouldn’t either.
How to Make This Recipe
- Boil the Broccoli and Pasta
- Make the Flavorful Sauce
- Combine Everything
- Serve and Garnish
Frequently asked questions
Tips, tricks, and other recipes
- Broccoli stems. If the broccoli you bought has thick stems, do not throw them away; save them from making a broccoli soup or a broccoli salad. Just peel them before using them.
- Benefits of broccoli. Broccoli has a lot of fiber, minerals, vitamins, like vitamin C; it’s a SUPERFOOD!
- How to cook broccoli. When you do not know what to do with it, TURN ON the oven at 400ºF, cut the broccoli into pieces, drizzle with olive oil, add a pinch of salt, put it in the oven until golden. When done, remove it from the oven and squeeze a lemon or add the zest of lemon. I know it’s that easy.
Easy One-Pot Pasta with Broccoli
This one-pot pasta with broccoli, garlic, and lemon is my version of fast food—delicious, nutritious, and ready in no time. It’s the perfect weeknight meal that’s both comforting and healthy.
Equipment
- Pasta pot
Ingredients
- 8 oz short pasta
- 4 cups of broccoli cut into pieces
- 3 garlic cloves peeled
- 2 tablespoons of vegan butter
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- zest of a lemon
- juice of a lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 red chili pepper
- Parmesan cheese I use vegan Violife brand
Instructions
- Boil the Broccoli: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cook for 2 minutes, then remove and set aside. For bright, crunchy broccoli, immediately transfer to a bowl of iced water to stop the cooking process.
- Cook the Pasta: In the same boiling water, add your pasta and cook according to package instructions. Before draining, save 1 cup of pasta water for later.
- Make the Flavorful Sauce: In a pan (or back in the same pot), heat the vegan butter, olive oil, garlic, and lemon zest over medium heat. Cook for about a minute—just long enough to soften the garlic but not brown it. Add the red chili flakes if you like a little kick.
- Combine Pasta and Broccoli: Remove the pan from the heat. Add the saved pasta water, salt (about 2 teaspoons), pepper, and lemon juice. Stir to combine, then toss in the pasta and broccoli. Mix gently, adjusting the seasoning as needed.
- Serve and Garnish: Serve immediately, topped with your choice of pine nuts, hemp seeds, or vegan Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Ingredient Swap: Feel free to swap out broccoli for asparagus, mushrooms, or cauliflower.
- For Extra Creaminess: Add a bit of vegan cream or cream cheese for a richer flavor.
- Storage: This dish is best served fresh, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat with a splash of water or olive oil.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 241kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 7gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 67mgPotassium: 306mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 615IUVitamin C: 65.3mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 1mg
information
Nutritional information of this recipe is only an estimate, the accuracy for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe?Tag @piloncilloyvainilla on Instagram and hashtag it #alecooks so we can all see your creations.
Soy Ale Graf, mexicana en Texas y la creadora de AleCooks y Piloncillo&Vainilla, donde comparto recetas fáciles, deliciosas y para toda la familia — algunas mexicanas, en su mayoría basadas en plantas — pensadas para disfrutarse todo el día, todos los días. Con una licenciatura en Historia del Arte y una Certificación como Chef Profesional en Cocina Basada en Plantas, llevo más de una década creando contenido donde se unen mis dos pasiones: la comida y el storytelling.
Mi enfoque está en recetas que reúnen a las personas alrededor de la mesa, haciendo de cada comida un momento sencillo, delicioso y significativo. También soy autora de Yo Cocino Latino, y mis recetas han sido destacadas en varias revistas y publicaciones en línea.
¡Sígueme en mis redes sociales para inspiración diaria, tips y recetas deliciosas! Y si alguna vez pruebas una de mis recetas — o tienes una receta familiar favorita — ¡me encantaría saberlo! Mándame un DM en Instagram y hablemos de comida. 🍽️✨
Mi enfoque está en recetas que reúnen a las personas alrededor de la mesa, haciendo de cada comida un momento sencillo, delicioso y significativo. También soy autora de Yo Cocino Latino, y mis recetas han sido destacadas en varias revistas y publicaciones en línea.
¡Sígueme en mis redes sociales para inspiración diaria, tips y recetas deliciosas! Y si alguna vez pruebas una de mis recetas — o tienes una receta familiar favorita — ¡me encantaría saberlo! Mándame un DM en Instagram y hablemos de comida. 🍽️✨
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