Mafaldine Limone Broccoli Pasta (Printable)
Ribbons of mafaldine tossed with lemon, garlic, broccoli, and Parmesan in a silky, zesty sauce.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 14 oz mafaldine pasta
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 large head broccoli (about 10.5 oz), cut into small florets
03 - 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
→ Sauce & Seasonings
04 - 2 lemons (zest and juice)
05 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
06 - 1.4 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
07 - 1/2 tsp chili flakes (optional)
08 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
09 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped (optional)
# How To Make It:
01 - Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the mafaldine and cook according to package directions, subtracting 2 minutes from the recommended time so the pasta is slightly underdone.
02 - Three minutes before the pasta finishes cooking, add the broccoli florets directly into the boiling pasta water. Scoop out 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water and set aside, then drain the pasta and broccoli together in a colander.
03 - While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and chili flakes, stirring gently for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and just softened, making sure the garlic does not brown.
04 - Transfer the drained mafaldine and broccoli into the skillet with the aromatics. Pour in the lemon juice and scatter the zest over the top, adding a splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss vigorously, drizzling in more cooking water as needed until a silky, glossy sauce coats every strand.
05 - Sprinkle the grated Parmesan over the pasta and toss continuously until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens, clinging to the noodles. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
06 - Divide the pasta among warm plates or shallow bowls. Finish with an extra shower of Parmesan and a scattering of fresh basil or parsley. Serve right away while hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The lemon hits your palate before anything else, bright and clean, and then the broccoli sort of melts into the sauce in a way that feels like a genuine discovery.
- Mafaldine noodles are those gorgeous ribbon shapes with ruffled edges that hold onto every drop of sauce, making each forkful feel lavish without any extra effort.
02 -
- Overcooking the garlic is the fastest way to turn this bright dish bitter, so pull the pan off heat the moment those slices look pale gold.
- Saving that pasta cooking water is not optional here, the starch in it is what transforms olive oil and lemon juice into an actual sauce instead of a greasy puddle.
03 -
- Zest the lemons before you juice them, because trying to zest a spent lemon half is a frustrating exercise in futility that I have attempted more times than I care to admit.
- Warm your serving bowls in a low oven or with a splash of hot water, because cold plates steal the heat from pasta faster than you would believe.