We like broccoli around these parts and so the Pasta with Longer-Cooked Broccoli captured my interest when Deb posted it recently(ish). Despite the timing she gives (45 minutes) it is very weeknight friendly and eminently prep-able. In fact I recommend that you prep everything before you turn on the heat, because the first few steps move fast. You’ll also want to pay close attention so you don’t burn the garlic, which can happen in a flash. This is one of those times to cook with your senses and not with your timer.

I made this in my dutch oven so I’d have plenty of room to stir. But it holds a lot of heat, so in addition to being very attentive I adjusted the heat down once when I added the lemon juice & etc., which I did as soon as I saw a couple of small pieces of garlic starting to brown.

My other recommendation is to use a pasta brand and shape you’re familiar with so you can manage the time without worrying. Pasta always cooks faster for me than what the packages say, so I did my usual pasta routine, which is to check it at 5 minutes. In this case it was extremely al dente, so I let it go for two more and it was slightly beyond al dente, but not by much.

This was a very tasty dinner and the pasta and broccoli ratio was pretty perfect. We had the Crispy Chili Garlic Butter Shrimp with this, so I think we’ll get at least 4 servings from it. This would work really will as a vegetarian one-pot meal, but if you also want to have some protein, you could throw in a can of drained white beans while the pasta is finishing up, or do a simple baked chicken or fish.