This Lemon Broccoli Pasta is a little bit tangy and so delicious! It’s packed with tons of broccoli and I also added in some roasted tomatoes for even more flavor. Great for an easy weeknight vegetarian pasta dinner.
I have been eating a lot of pasta lately! I love it because it’s cheap to buy, easy to make and you can enjoy it so many different ways. I love lemon in almost everything so this Lemon Broccoli Pasta is one of my favorites.
This is the kind of recipe that I make for myself all the time but have never really measured things out before. I almost always have pasta, broccoli, lemons and garlic on hand so this Lemon Broccoli Pasta gets made on the regular around here 🙂
Lemon Broccoli Pasta Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions
- Pasta – You can use any kind of pasta you like in this recipe. I chose whole wheat penne because I happened to have a few packages of it and I love how hearty whole wheat pasta is. I like that the pasta is similar sized to the broccoli and tomatoes but spaghetti noodles would work well also.
- Broccoli – I used fresh broccoli in this recipe because I almost always have it on hand and I love using fresh broccoli when I can. You could also use frozen broccoli if you like, it just won’t need to cook quite as long. If you don’t like broccoli you could also use cauliflower, kale or spinach.
- Tomatoes – I have been loving these sweet little san Marzano tomatoes I get from Trader Joe’s and that is what I used. If you can’t find those any kind of small tomato, such as cherry or grape, would work well.
- Butter & Olive Oil – I used a mixture of vegan butter and olive oil because I like the taste that both offer. If you want you could use only butter or only olive oil.
- Garlic – This is one of those recipes where you can measure the amount of garlic with your heart (haha!) Lemon and garlic go so well together, I like to add 2-3 cloves in for great flavor.
- Lemon – Lemon is one of the starts of this dish! You want to make sure to use real lemons rather than bottled lemon juice. This recipe calls for both the zest and juice of the lemon. Similar to the garlic, you can add as much or as little as you like.
- Salt & Pepper
How To Make Lemon Broccoli Pasta
This Lemon Broccoli Pasta is so easy to make! You just need a few ingredients and about 20 minutes.
- Start by roasting the tomatoes in the oven. I like to slice them in half, but you can keep them whole if they’re smaller. I just toss them with a small drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. They will roast while the pasta is cooking. You want them to look similar to the photo above.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and then add the pasta in. Give it a good stir and cook according to package directions. When the pasta is about 2-3 minutes from being done you can add all the broccoli in. Cook until broccoli is tender and then drain pasta. Leave pasta and broccoli in the strainer while you make the sauce in the pot.
- Place the empty pasta pot back on medium heat and add the butter, oil and garlic. Cook until garlic is fragrant, 1-2 minutes, and then add back in the pasta and broccoli as well as the lemon juice and zest. Stir until combined and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Lemony Broccoli Pasta Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the best type of pasta to use? You can really use any kind of pasta you like for this recipe. I used whole wheat penne because I like that it’s the same size as the broccoli and tomatoes. Long spaghetti would also work well though!
- Can I make this Lemon Broccoli Pasta without the tomatoes? Yes, of course! I just happened to have a container of tomatoes lying around and I like the flavor that they add.
- Can this pasta be frozen? I haven’t frozen it myself but it can be frozen. Try to cook the pasta al dente before freezing and you will want to use a little olive oil for re-heating.
- Can I use frozen broccoli? Yes, just add it at the very end of the pasta cooking process to make sure it doesn’t get too mushy.
Do you have a question that I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below and I’ll get back to you ASAP!
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Lemon Broccoli Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Lemon Broccoli Pasta is tangy, flavorful and packed with broccoli and sweet roasted tomatoes!
Ingredients
Scale
- 10 oz small tomatoes sliced in half (san Marzano, grape, cherry, etc)
- 1 pound pasta, whole wheat or regular
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for roasting tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon vegan butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Juice and zest of one large lemon
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. On a large sheet pan lined with parchment paper, add the sliced tomatoes and drizzle with a small amount of olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast tomatoes for about 20 minutes and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add pasta and cook according to package directions. When there’s about 2-3 minutes left for the pasta to cook, add in the broccoli and cook until tender. Drain pasta and broccoli.
- Place the pot that you cooked the pasta in over medium heat and add the olive oil, butter, and garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and then add in the cooked pasta and broccoli, along with the lemon zest and juice. Mix everything together well and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Also, feel free to add in extra lemon juice if you like.
Notes
Sometimes I also like to add in a tablespoon or two of nutritional yeast to give the pasta a nice cheesy-like texture.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Dinner, Vegan
- Method: Oven, Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
CN I make this oil free by using veg broth?
Yes, that would work!