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Home Budget recipe: Pasta with broccoli, mozzarella and lemon

Budget recipe: Pasta with broccoli, mozzarella and lemon

Name: Budget recipe: Pasta with broccoli, mozzarella and lemon
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 people
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 350 g penne or rigatoni; 1 large broccoli (about 400 g); 2 balls mozzarella (each 125 g); 2 cloves garlic; 2 tsp grated lemon zest (from 1 organic lemon); 2 tbsp lemon juice (from the same lemon); 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp salt (plus extra for the cooking water); Freshly ground black pepper to taste; Chili flakes to taste

Budget Vegetarian Quick Weeknight Pasta Italian

This recipe proves you don't need expensive ingredients for a delicious meal. Broccoli and mozzarella come together in a surprisingly creamy combination, and lemon adds just enough brightness to lift the whole dish. Ready in twenty minutes, affordable for the whole family and attractive on the table in good pasta bowls. Exactly the kind of recipe that's more than welcome on a busy weeknight.

x_ckl_recipe_markerBudget recipe: Pasta with broccoli, mozzarella and lemon A budget-friendly pasta with tender broccoli, creamy mozzarella and a bright lemon touch. Weeknight dinner at its best. How to make pasta with broccoli, mozzarella and lemon? Main course Italian 4 people 5 min 20 min

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Pasta absorbs flavor as it cooks, so don't be stingy with the salt. Plan on about one tablespoon per liter of water.
Break the broccoli into small, even florets so they cook in the same amount of time. Also cut the stalk into small pieces and use those too — they contain just as much flavor as the florets.
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Add the broccoli florets and stalk pieces to the boiling water for the last 4 minutes. That way you cook everything in one pot and don't need an extra pan.
Just before draining, scoop out a large mugful of pasta water and set it aside. This starchy liquid is essential: it will emulsify the oil and lemon juice into a light, creamy sauce that clings to the pasta.
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a wide frying pan. Add the finely sliced garlic and gently fry it for about 1 minute until fragrant. Keep the heat low: burnt garlic will give the whole dish a bitter taste.
Drain the pasta and broccoli and add them straight to the frying pan with the garlic oil. Add the grated lemon zest and lemon juice and toss everything well. The zest gives an intense lemon flavor, the juice provides the fresh, tangy note.
Add a generous splash of pasta water and stir until the pasta looks slightly glossy. Add more pasta water if the mixture feels too dry. You're aiming for a sauce that coats the pasta without leaving a puddle in the pan.
Tear the mozzarella into large pieces and fold them through the warm pasta. The heat will partially melt the mozzarella, creating a soft, creamy texture. Do this at the very last moment: heating mozzarella for too long makes it tough and rubbery.
Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and chili flakes to taste. Divide the pasta among deep plates and serve immediately while the mozzarella is still warm and gooey.

Budget Vegetarian Quick Weeknight Pasta Italian 350 g penne or rigatoni 1 large broccoli (about 400 g) 2 balls mozzarella (each 125 g) 2 cloves garlic 2 tsp grated lemon zest (from 1 organic lemon) 2 tbsp lemon juice (from the same lemon) 3 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp salt (plus extra for the cooking water) Freshly ground black pepper to taste Chili flakes to taste Large cooking pot Frying pan Colander Grater Measuring cup or coffee mug Wooden spoon or spatula Cutting board Chef's Knife Pasta plates pasta-bowls Chef's knife chefs-knives Chopping Board chopping-board Frying Pan frying-pan Alessi Deep Plates All-Time ø 22 cm - 4 pieces - Guido Venturini - AGV29/2 Alessi ["Deep plate"] Cookinglife Deep Plates / Pasta Plates Serene Sand ø 23 cm - Pottery - 4 pieces Cookinglife Diep bord Cosy & Trendy Deep Plates / Pasta Bowls Moon White ø 19 cm - 4 Pieces Cosy & Trendy Diep bord Cookinglife Deep Plates / Pasta Plates Linen Grey ø 18 cm – 6 pieces Cookinglife Diep bord Pappardelle with wild mushrooms and Parmesan foodies-pappardelle-with-wild-mushrooms-and-parmesan Pasta al limone with grilled zucchini foodies-pasta-al-limone-with-grilled-zucchini Pasta al Limone with Ricotta and Basil foodies-pasta-al-limone-with-ricotta-and-basil-1 Budget recipe: Creamy Marry Me Chicken pasta foodies-budget-recipe-creamy-marry-me-chicken-pasta

Recipe

Budget recipe: Pasta with broccoli, mozzarella and lemon

A budget-friendly pasta with tender broccoli, creamy mozzarella and a bright lemon touch. Weeknight dinner at its best.

Course	Main course
Kitchen	Italian
Servings	4 people

Preparation time

Preparation time	5 min
Total	20 min

Equipment

Large cooking pot
Frying pan
Colander
Grater
Measuring cup or coffee mug
Wooden spoon or spatula
Cutting board
Chef's Knife

Ingredients

350 g penne or rigatoni
1 large broccoli (about 400 g)
2 balls mozzarella (each 125 g)
2 cloves garlic
2 tsp grated lemon zest (from 1 organic lemon)
2 tbsp lemon juice (from the same lemon)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt (plus extra for the cooking water)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Chili flakes to taste

How to make pasta with broccoli, mozzarella and lemon?

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Pasta absorbs flavor as it cooks, so don't be stingy with the salt. Plan on about one tablespoon per liter of water.
Break the broccoli into small, even florets so they cook in the same amount of time. Also cut the stalk into small pieces and use those too — they contain just as much flavor as the florets.
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Add the broccoli florets and stalk pieces to the boiling water for the last 4 minutes. That way you cook everything in one pot and don't need an extra pan.
Just before draining, scoop out a large mugful of pasta water and set it aside. This starchy liquid is essential: it will emulsify the oil and lemon juice into a light, creamy sauce that clings to the pasta.
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a wide frying pan. Add the finely sliced garlic and gently fry it for about 1 minute until fragrant. Keep the heat low: burnt garlic will give the whole dish a bitter taste.
Drain the pasta and broccoli and add them straight to the frying pan with the garlic oil. Add the grated lemon zest and lemon juice and toss everything well. The zest gives an intense lemon flavor, the juice provides the fresh, tangy note.
Add a generous splash of pasta water and stir until the pasta looks slightly glossy. Add more pasta water if the mixture feels too dry. You're aiming for a sauce that coats the pasta without leaving a puddle in the pan.
Tear the mozzarella into large pieces and fold them through the warm pasta. The heat will partially melt the mozzarella, creating a soft, creamy texture. Do this at the very last moment: heating mozzarella for too long makes it tough and rubbery.
Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and chili flakes to taste. Divide the pasta among deep plates and serve immediately while the mozzarella is still warm and gooey.

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The pasta water is really the key here. Always keep more than you think you'll need, because the starch binds the oil and lemon juice into a soft coating that clings to the pasta. If you use too little, the dish becomes dry. Use too much and it turns soupy. Add it splash by splash and stop as soon as the pasta is airy and glossy. For the lemon zest, prefer an organic lemon, because you use the outer peel and non-organic fruit is often treated with wax or pesticides.

Variations are very easy to make. Swap the broccoli for spinach or zucchini if you have those on hand. If you want extra crunch, add a handful of toasted pine nuts or walnuts just before serving. Leftovers keep for up to two days in a sealed container in the fridge. Reheat the pasta in a frying pan with a splash of water so the texture loosens up again. Chilled from the fridge, this recipe also works well as a pasta salad: add a little extra lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil and serve at room temperature.

Related products

Alessi Deep Plates All-Time ø 22 cm - 4 pieces - Guido Venturini - AGV29/2

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Cookinglife Deep Plates / Pasta Plates Serene Sand ø 23 cm - Pottery - 4 pieces

Cosy & Trendy Deep Plates / Pasta Bowls Moon White ø 19 cm - 4 Pieces

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Cookinglife Deep Plates / Pasta Plates Linen Grey ø 18 cm – 6 pieces

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Pasta plates

Chef's knife

Chopping Board

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