
Broccoli with Lemon Rigatoni
- 20 mins total
- 5 mins prep
- 15 mins cook
- serves 4 people
Skip To The Recipe
Broccoli with Lemon Rigatoni. One more dish of pasta for your repertoire. As you know I love lemon and use it as often as I possibly can. On every vegetable, in lieu of vinegar for my salad, over chicken, and yes, with pasta too.
Creamy lemon pasta with broccoli, not only is delicious, the best part of this recipe is that in less than 20 minutes you will have dinner on the table.
Broccolis are excellent for your health as they contain vitamins and minerals. With this recipe, I used the stalk as well. Slice them to cook evenly. Cooking the florets with the pasta at the end of the cooking process, will soften them and give extra flavor to the pasta. Do cook the pasta al dente and drain it one minute prior to package cooking instructions. Remember you will have to add them to the broccoli stalks and cream and that will finish the cooking process.
Do save a cup of the cooking water. You may and may not use it, but if your pasta gets too dry, it will be of great use. We are huge fans of rigatoni in my family, however, penne, paccheri, or any tubular pasta will work wonderfully with this recipe. You want the sauce to get in the inside of the pasta.
Leftovers? If you have some, no problem, warm the leftovers with a bit of water on a large skillet.
Most importantly, do not forget to load it up with cheese. I use pecorino as it has a sharp edge to it and we all love it. Of course, Parmesan cheese is the perfect substitute for it.

Broccoli with Lemon Rigatoni
- 20 mins total
- 5 mins prep
- 15 mins cook
- serves 4 people
Ingredients
-
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
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2 garlic cloves crushed
-
½ pound broccoli
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1 cup heavy cream
-
1 lemon zest + juice
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salt and pepper
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1 pound rigatoni pasta
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½ cup pecorino cheese
Instructions
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Separate the stalks and the florets. Split in half the stalk and set aside.
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta. Boil for 8 minutes or until very almost cooked through, then add the broccoli florets. Cook until the broccoli is tender, and the pasta is cooked. Reserve 1 cup of the boiling water and drain the pasta.
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Meanwhile, in a large pan, melt butter and add the garlic and broccoli stems and cook for a few minutes. Pour the cream, lemon juice, and zest. Season to taste. Allow to simmering for a few minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.
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Add the drained pasta and broccoli into the sauce and add a splash of the cooking water. Toss to coat in sauce, adding more pasta water if necessary.
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Add a generous amount of grated cheese, toss, and serve.
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