Okay, I really love this recipe. I came across it a few months ago and I've made it plenty of times since. It’s a fresh and veggie-forward pasta so it feels light, and the broccoli makes it healthy! (Even if it isn't, just let me have it.)
This recipe has officially entered into my dinner rotation. I love how easy it is to throw together. You just have to steam broccoli, add some aromatics, let it simmer for a while in some broth, break down the big pieces of broccoli, and toss in some pasta. Voila! Dinner is ready.
The other thing I love about this dish, or any vegetable based pasta sauce, is they're impossible to overcook! In fact, when you let it simmer for a while, it ususally improves the flavor. For this recipe, the whole point is to get the broccoli super soft, so you let it simmer for a long, long, long time. So, go watch TV, prep for the next step of the recipe, or scroll through Instagram while you wait – you've got time. You also don't need any special tools to make the sauce, just a good old-fashioned potato masher or a wooden flat-ended spoon. No blender required. (That's the last thing I want to clean on a busy Wednesday night.) It also reheats well for lunch! We all love good leftovers!
I have tried some different toppings for this pasta in an effort to add texture and flavor, and so far, my favorites have been crumbled bacon, and toasted parmesan breadcrumbs. While this pasta doesn't need it, it certainly doesn't hurt either!
I found the recipe on Feasting at Home listed as Orecchiette Pasta with Broccoli Sauce and I follow it fairly closely. I definitely add more lemon than the recipe calls for, but I love lemon, (if you can't tell by my many, many lemon-forward recipes) so I really have no qualms with this. 10/10 for me. Chloe on the other hand prefers it with a little bacon. She gave it an 8/10. A respectable score.
Let’s get into the recipe!
Creamy Lemon and Broccoli Pasta
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
12 oz broccoli florets (~ 2 chopped heads of broccoli)
1 lb orecchiette (or another short pasta)
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 large shallot, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp chili flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp miso paste (or sub anchovy paste)
2 cups chicken broth
Zest of one lemon
Juice of one lemon
¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
Optional Toppings:
1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
½ cup plain breadcrumbs, toasted
Directions:
Steam broccoli florets until very tender. Set those aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
In the meantime, bring a large sauté pan to medium heat. Add olive oil to the pan, along with the shallot, garlic, and chili flakes. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until the shallot and garlic are fragrant.
Next, add the miso paste, broccoli, chicken broth, salt, and pepper to the pan. Bring that to a simmer and start breaking the broccoli apart with a flat, wooden spoon, or a potato masher. The broccoli will start to break down into a saucy consistency the longer it simmers.
Once you get the broccoli simmering, start cooking your pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 cup or more of the pasta water before straining the pasta off. I stopped cooking my pasta about 1-2 minutes shy of “al-dente” so I could finish cooking the pasta in the broccoli sauce.
Once the broccoli has broken down and is looking saucy, add in the cooked pasta, 1 cup of reserved pasta water, parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the pan with the broccoli sauce. Continue cooking the ingredients until the sauce begins to emulsify.
Top with crispy crumbled bacon, or toasted breadcrumbs, if desired. As well as some additional parmesan cheese.
Enjoy!
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