One-Pot Lemon Broccoli Pasta (Printable)

Bright spring pasta featuring tender broccoli, zesty lemon, and silky garlic sauce—all cooked in a single pot for minimal cleanup.

# What you'll need:

→ Pasta & Vegetables

01 - 12 oz dried spaghetti or linguine
02 - 4 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
03 - 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
04 - 1 small onion, finely chopped

→ Liquids

05 - 4 cups vegetable broth or water
06 - 1/2 cup whole milk or plant-based milk

→ Flavorings

07 - Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
08 - 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
11 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
12 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

→ Garnish

13 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped

# Method:

01 - In a large, wide pot or deep sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, sauté for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and translucent, but not browned.
02 - Add dried pasta, broccoli florets, vegetable broth, and milk to the pot. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
03 - Reduce heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring often to prevent sticking, for 10–12 minutes, or until pasta is al dente and most of the liquid has reduced to a silky sauce.
04 - Stir in lemon zest and juice, Parmesan cheese, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Adjust seasoning to taste.
05 - Remove from heat. Let stand 2–3 minutes for the sauce to thicken slightly. Serve hot, garnished with extra Parmesan and fresh herbs.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The pasta cooks directly in the broth, soaking up every bit of flavor instead of boiling in plain water.
  • Cleanup is almost nonexistent, just one pot and a cutting board.
  • It tastes like spring in a bowl, bright and fresh but still hearty enough to feel like a real meal.
  • You can have dinner on the table in half an hour, even on your most exhausted evenings.
02 -
  • Stir often during the simmer or the pasta will stick to the bottom and scorch, I learned this the hard way with a burnt pot and a smoky kitchen.
  • Don't add the lemon juice too early or the acidity can make the milk curdle, wait until the very end.
  • If the sauce looks too thin, let it sit off the heat for a few extra minutes, the pasta will keep absorbing liquid and it will thicken beautifully.
  • Taste before serving and adjust the salt, Parmesan, and lemon to your preference, this dish should be bold and bright.
03 -
  • Use a wide, shallow pot instead of a tall stockpot so the pasta has room to spread out and cook evenly without clumping.
  • Zest the lemon before you juice it, it's nearly impossible to zest a juiced lemon and you'll want every bit of that fragrant oil.
  • Reserve a mugful of the cooking liquid before draining in case your sauce needs loosening, though with this method you won't need to drain at all.
  • Grate the Parmesan fresh right before adding it, the pre-grated kind contains anti-caking agents that can make your sauce grainy instead of silky.
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