One Pot Vegan Lemon Pasta with Broccoli
Penne pasta and fresh broccoli cook together in just one pot to make this easy 20 minute recipe! Toss the two with a simple but vibrant combination of lemon, garlic, and spices for a satisfying vegan meal the whole family will love.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 220kcal
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil, 59 ml, plus more as needed
- 3 medium cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
- 8 oz. penne pasta (uncooked), about 2 1/2 cups worth
- 4 cups broccoli florets, (slightly larger florets work best) 245 g
- 2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast powder
- 1 tsp. lemon zest
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice 30 ml
- 3/4 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, plus more for topping, (1/4 tsp for mild-medium and 1/2 tsp for spicy)
- 1/8 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste
Instructions
- In a 4 quart or larger pot, add both the olive oil and minced garlic. Heat together over medium-high heat, stirring continuously. Once you hear the oil start to sizzle, stir for just an additional 30 seconds so the garlic is lightly cooked. Immediately remove from heat and transfer the oil / garlic mixture to a small bowl. Use a rubber spatula, if possible, to remove as much garlic and oil as you can. Set this mixture aside for now.
- In the same, unwashed pot, bring roughly 4 quarts of salted water to a boil over high heat. (I usually add about a tablespoon of salt to my pot of water, as this helps season the pasta.)
- Once you achieve a rapid boil, add the broccoli floret to the pot to blanch and set a timer for three minutes. Afterwards, fish the florets out of the water with a slotted spoon and place in a separate bowl for now.
- Allow the same pot of water to return to a boil, and then add the penne pasta. Reduce heat to medium-high and set your timer for ten minutes. Stir pasta occasionally to prevent it from sticking together. Carefully check the pasta for doneness at the ten minute mark. Cook for an additional 1-4 minutes, if needed.
- Drain pasta and return it to the pot. Add the garlic/oil mixture, nutritional yeast, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and chili flakes and gently stir to evenly coat the pasta. Finally, gently fold in the blanched broccoli, as well.
- Top with additional salt, pepper and chili flakes to taste!
- Add fresh herbs or chopped nuts, if desired. See "Optional Add-Ins" section below for suggestions.
- Serve immediately as a hot dish, at room temperature, or chill to serve later as a pasta salad. If you choose to serve chilled, allow the hot pasta to cool at least 20-30 minutes before transferring to an airtight container and storing in the fridge.
Notes
- Aim for slightly larger broccoli florets rather than small ones, as small florets can get mushy once tossed with all of the seasonings and olive oil.
- If in the end the pasta seems too dry, add an extra 1-2 Tbsp. of olive oil.
- If sensitive to spicy foods, reduce the red pepper flakes to just a pinch or so.
- Many types of pasta can be used in this recipe - including gluten free pastas and chickpea pasta! Simply adjust cooking times according to the directions on the package, and then add the broccoli during the last 3 minutes.
- Have extra steamed or blanched broccoli on hand that you'd like to use in this recipe? Go for it! Simply toss it in with the other ingredients in step 6 rather than add it to the boiling water.
- Not a fan of broccoli? No prob - there are many veggies that would work wonderfully in this recipe. My favorites are asparagus (chopped into 2-inch pieces), snap peas (strings and ends removed), and fresh or frozen spinach. Spinach only needs to blanch in the boiling water for 10 seconds, but the other two need 3 minutes, just like broccoli. If you’d like to use frozen loose peas, simply add those in with the other ingredients in step 6.
- Chopped fresh basil
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Sliced or slivered almonds, toasted or not
- Chopped walnuts
- Chopped shelled pistachios
Nutrition
Calories: 220kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 14g