Creamy Mafaldine Pasta Limone with Broccoli
Creamy Mafaldine Pasta Limone with Broccoli is the ultimate comfort food, ready in just 20 minutes. After making this many times, I’ve discovered the trick to the perfect creamy sauce. Jump to the recipe or keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy Peach Cobbler French Toast Bake and Raspberry Lemon Cookies.
Why This Creamy Mafaldine Pasta Limone with Broccoli Is Pure Comfort
- Better than takeout creamy sauce
- Ready in just 20 minutes
- Packed with fresh broccoli and lemon flavor
- Perfect for busy weeknights
What You'll Need for Creamy Mafaldine Pasta Limone with Broccoli
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- mafaldine pasta
- broccoli
- lemon
- heavy cream
- garlic
- salt
- black pepper
- red pepper flakes
- parmesan cheese
- Optional: fresh parsley
- Optional: lemon zest
📝 Ingredient Notes
- mafaldine pasta: You can substitute with linguine or spaghetti if needed.
🛒 Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Heavy-duty Pasta Pot — Ensures perfect al dente pasta every time. → See on Amazon
- Microplane Zester — Makes quick work of zesting lemons for extra fresh flavor. → See on Amazon
How to Make Creamy Mafaldine Pasta Limone with Broccoli
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook mafaldine pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Sauté Garlic: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add Broccoli: Add broccoli florets to the skillet, season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook until broccoli is tender, about 5 minutes.
- Make Sauce: Stir in heavy cream and lemon juice. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, then add cooked pasta and toss to coat. If needed, add reserved pasta water to achieve desired consistency.
- Finish and Serve: Stir in parmesan cheese and lemon zest. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Divide pasta among plates, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve immediately.
Cook's Tips for Perfect Creamy Mafaldine Pasta Limone with Broccoli
- Common mistake and fix: Adding too much pasta water can make the sauce too thin. If this happens, simmer the pasta and sauce together to reduce and thicken the sauce.
- Pro tip: For an extra creamy sauce, toss the hot pasta with the sauce off the heat to help the cheese melt and create a smooth, creamy consistency.
- Pro tip: To prevent the broccoli from turning mushy, cook it just until tender and avoid overcooking.
Storing & Reheating Creamy Mafaldine Pasta Limone with Broccoli
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Make-ahead tip: The pasta and broccoli can be cooked ahead of time and stored separately in the fridge. When ready to serve, simply reheat and combine with the sauce.
Freezing Creamy Mafaldine Pasta Limone with Broccoli
Freezing is not recommended for this dish as the pasta texture will change upon thawing.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until warmed through. Stir halfway through to ensure even heating.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For a vegetarian version, omit the parmesan cheese or use a vegan alternative.
- Best substitution: If you don't have mafaldine pasta, linguine or spaghetti can be used as a substitute.
- Make-ahead: The pasta and broccoli can be cooked ahead of time and stored separately in the fridge. When ready to serve, simply reheat and combine with the sauce.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve more people.
- Troubleshooting: If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little more pasta water to thin it out. If it's too thin, simmer the pasta and sauce together to reduce and thicken the sauce.
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Creamy Mafaldine Pasta Limone with Broccoli
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- mafaldine pasta
- broccoli
- lemon
- heavy cream
- garlic
Seasonings
- salt
- black pepper
- red pepper flakes
- parmesan cheese
Optional Toppings
- fresh parsley
- lemon zest
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook mafaldine pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Sauté Garlic: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add Broccoli: Add broccoli florets to the skillet, season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook until broccoli is tender, about 5 minutes.
- Make Sauce: Stir in heavy cream and lemon juice. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, then add cooked pasta and toss to coat. If needed, add reserved pasta water to achieve desired consistency.
- Finish and Serve: Stir in parmesan cheese and lemon zest. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Divide pasta among plates, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Chef tip: For a vegetarian version, omit the parmesan cheese or use a vegan alternative.
- Best substitution: If you don't have mafaldine pasta, linguine or spaghetti can be used as a substitute.
- Make-ahead: The pasta and broccoli can be cooked ahead of time and stored separately in the fridge. When ready to serve, simply reheat and combine with the sauce.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled to serve more people.
- Troubleshooting: If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little more pasta water to thin it out. If it's too thin, simmer the pasta and sauce together to reduce and thicken the sauce.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freezing is not recommended for this dish as the pasta texture will change upon thawing.
- Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.
- Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until warmed through. Stir halfway through to ensure even heating.
- Make ahead: The pasta and broccoli can be cooked ahead of time and stored separately in the fridge. When ready to serve, simply reheat and combine with the sauce.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 520
- Protein: 18g
- Fat: 24g
- Carbs: 60g
- Fiber: 5g
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Cholesterol: 60mg
- Sat. Fat: 14g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Creamy Mafaldine Pasta Limone with Broccoli FAQs
Yes, you can cook the pasta and broccoli ahead of time and store them separately in the fridge. When ready to serve, simply reheat and combine with the sauce.
Adding too much pasta water can make the sauce too thin. If this happens, simmer the pasta and sauce together to reduce and thicken the sauce.
No, this recipe is not suitable for the air fryer as it requires cooking the pasta and broccoli in a skillet on the stovetop.
If you don't have mafaldine pasta, linguine or spaghetti can be used as a substitute.
Yes, this homemade version is not only more delicious but also healthier and more cost-effective than takeout.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Creamy Mafaldine Pasta Limone with Broccoli and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
