Mafaldine Limone Broccoli Pasta (Printable)
Mafaldine with broccoli in a bright lemon parmesan cream sauce—classic Italian comfort in 35 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta & Vegetables
01 - 12 oz mafaldine pasta
02 - 1 medium head broccoli, cut into small florets
→ Sauce
03 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
04 - 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
05 - 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
06 - Zest of 1 lemon
07 - Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tbsp)
08 - ½ cup heavy cream
09 - 2 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese
→ Seasoning
10 - Salt, to taste
11 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
12 - Extra lemon zest, optional
13 - Additional grated Parmesan
14 - Fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the mafaldine and cook according to package directions until al dente. During the last 3 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli florets directly to the pasta pot. Reserve ½ cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.
02 - While the pasta cooks, melt the butter with olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute, taking care not to let it brown.
03 - Stir in the lemon zest and cook for 30 seconds to bloom its essential oils. Pour in the heavy cream and bring gently to a simmer. Stir in the lemon juice and half of the Parmesan cheese until the sauce is smooth.
04 - Add the drained pasta and broccoli to the skillet. Toss everything together thoroughly, adding the reserved pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce is silky and evenly coats each ribbon of mafaldine. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
05 - Serve immediately on warm plates, finished with extra Parmesan, a bright sprinkle of lemon zest, and fresh herbs if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The ruffled edges of mafaldine grab onto every bit of that lemon cream sauce in a way smooth pasta never will.
- It comes together in the time it takes to boil water and cook pasta, which means weeknight dinner solved without compromise.
02 -
- Add the lemon juice after the cream is already warm and never straight into the hot pan alone, or you risk curdling the sauce into something grainy and sad.
- That reserved pasta water is not optional, the starch is what transforms loose cream into a sauce that actually sticks to the pasta.
03 -
- Use a vegetable peeler to shave extra Parmesan directly over each plate for a beautiful restaurant style finish.
- Zest the lemon before juicing it, trying to zest a squeezed lemon half is an exercise in frustration.