Best Creamy Mafaldine Pasta Limone with Broccoli
Creamy Mafaldine Pasta Limone with Broccoli — Better than takeout! After making this dozens of times, I’ve perfected the creamiest, most irresistible lemon broccoli pasta. The trick I discovered is using starchy pasta water to create a silky sauce. Keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Juicy Grilled Chicken Mashed Potato Bowls Recipe Easy Homemade Dinner and Tortellini Carbonara (30 minutes).
Why This Best Creamy Mafaldine Pasta Limone with Broccoli Is Pure Comfort
- Irresistible creamy sauce made from scratch
- Packed with fresh broccoli for a healthy twist
- Better than takeout and ready in 20 minutes
What You'll Need for Best 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 florets
- Garlic cloves
- Lemon
- Heavy cream
- Parmesan cheese
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic
- Lemon zest
- Lemon juice
- Heavy cream
- Parmesan cheese
- Salt
- Pepper
- Optional: Red pepper flakes
- Optional: Fresh parsley
- Optional: Lemon wedges
📝 Ingredient Notes
- Mafaldine pasta: Can be substituted with fettuccine or linguine.
🛒 Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Heavy-duty pasta pot — Prevents boiling over and ensures even cooking. → See on Amazon
- Microplane zester — Captures maximum lemon zest for intense flavor. → See on Amazon
How to Make Best Creamy Mafaldine Pasta Limone with Broccoli
- Cook pasta: Boil mafaldine pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- Sauté garlic: In a large skillet, sauté minced garlic in olive oil over medium heat until fragrant.
- Cook broccoli: Add broccoli florets to the skillet, cook until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes.
- Make sauce: Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, heavy cream, and reserved pasta water. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly.
- Toss pasta: Add cooked mafaldine pasta to the skillet, toss to combine. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese.
- Serve: Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with red pepper flakes, fresh parsley, and lemon wedges. Serve immediately.
Cook's Tips for Perfect Best Creamy Mafaldine Pasta Limone with Broccoli
- Common mistake and fix: Don't overcook the broccoli. It should still have a slight crunch. If it's overcooked, it will become mushy and lose its vibrant color.
- Pro tip: Use starchy pasta water to create a creamy, velvety sauce without adding extra cream or butter.
- Pro tip: For a spicy kick, add red pepper flakes to the sauce or as a garnish.
- Pro tip: To make this dish vegetarian, substitute vegetable broth for the reserved pasta water.
Storing & Reheating Best Creamy Mafaldine Pasta Limone with Broccoli
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Make-ahead tip: The sauce can be made ahead of time and reheated before tossing with the pasta.
Freezing Best Creamy Mafaldine Pasta Limone with Broccoli
Not recommended for freezing.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free pasta and ensure all other ingredients are certified gluten-free.
- Best substitution: Substitute heavy cream with full-fat canned coconut milk for a dairy-free version.
- Make-ahead: The sauce can be made ahead of time and reheated before tossing with the pasta.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved to serve more or fewer people.
- Troubleshooting: If the sauce is too thick, thin it out with a little more pasta water or vegetable broth.
Want to level up this recipe?
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Best Creamy Mafaldine Pasta Limone with Broccoli
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- Mafaldine pasta
- Broccoli florets
- Garlic cloves
- Lemon
- Heavy cream
- Parmesan cheese
- Salt
- Pepper
Seasonings
- Garlic
- Lemon zest
- Lemon juice
- Heavy cream
- Parmesan cheese
- Salt
- Pepper
Optional Toppings
- Red pepper flakes
- Fresh parsley
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Cook pasta: Boil mafaldine pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- Sauté garlic: In a large skillet, sauté minced garlic in olive oil over medium heat until fragrant.
- Cook broccoli: Add broccoli florets to the skillet, cook until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes.
- Make sauce: Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, heavy cream, and reserved pasta water. Simmer until sauce thickens slightly.
- Toss pasta: Add cooked mafaldine pasta to the skillet, toss to combine. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese.
- Serve: Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with red pepper flakes, fresh parsley, and lemon wedges. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Chef tip: For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free pasta and ensure all other ingredients are certified gluten-free.
- Best substitution: Substitute heavy cream with full-fat canned coconut milk for a dairy-free version.
- Make-ahead: The sauce can be made ahead of time and reheated before tossing with the pasta.
- Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved to serve more or fewer people.
- Troubleshooting: If the sauce is too thick, thin it out with a little more pasta water or vegetable broth.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Not recommended for freezing.
- Oven reheat: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes.
- Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Make ahead: The sauce can be made ahead of time and reheated before tossing with the pasta.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 450
- Protein: 18g
- Fat: 20g
- Carbs: 50g
- Fiber: 4g
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Cholesterol: 60mg
- Sat. Fat: 12g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Best Creamy Mafaldine Pasta Limone with Broccoli FAQs
Yes, you can make the sauce ahead of time and reheat it before tossing with the cooked pasta. However, the pasta itself is best served fresh.
This could be due to not using enough pasta water or cream. Make sure to reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water and use the full amount of heavy cream called for in the recipe.
No, this recipe is not suitable for the air fryer. It requires cooking the pasta and broccoli in a skillet on the stovetop.
Full-fat canned coconut milk is a good dairy-free substitute for heavy cream in this recipe.
Yes, this homemade version is not only better than takeout but also healthier and more cost-effective.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Best 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!
