Mafaldine Pasta Limone Broccoli (Printable)
Creamy lemon mafaldine with tender broccoli florets — a bright Italian vegetarian dinner in 35 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Pasta & Vegetables
01 - 14 oz mafaldine pasta
02 - 1 large head broccoli, cut into small florets
03 - 2 tbsp olive oil
04 - 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
→ Sauce
05 - Zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon
06 - ¾ cup heavy cream
07 - 2 oz grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
09 - Fresh basil leaves (optional)
10 - Extra lemon zest (optional)
# How-To:
01 - Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the mafaldine and cook according to package directions. When 5 minutes of cooking time remain, add the broccoli florets to the pot. Cook until the pasta is al dente and the broccoli is tender-crisp. Reserve roughly ⅓ cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
02 - While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant, taking care not to let it brown.
03 - Pour the heavy cream into the skillet and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Let the sauce simmer briefly until the cheese melts and the mixture is smooth.
04 - Add the drained pasta and broccoli to the skillet. Toss everything together thoroughly to coat, adding splashes of the reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce to your preferred consistency. Adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste.
05 - Serve immediately in warm bowls, garnished with fresh basil leaves, an extra grate of Parmesan, and additional lemon zest if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The lemon cream sauce clings to every ruffle and edge of the mafaldine, making each forkful perfectly coated without feeling heavy.
- Cooking the broccoli right in the pasta water means fewer dishes and the florets absorb salt from the water in a way that changes everything.
02 -
- If you add the lemon juice to the cream while it is boiling hard, the sauce can curdle and separate, so keep the heat gentle and patient.
- Reserving the pasta water is not optional here, as that starch is the only thing binding the cream and lemon into a cohesive sauce rather than a broken mess.
03 -
- Grate the parmesan while it is cold for the finest texture, and let it come to room temperature before adding so it melts smoothly into the cream without clumping.
- Zest the lemon directly over the skillet instead of onto a cutting board, as the volatile oils dissipate quickly and you want every bit of fragrance in the sauce.