This Lemon Penne with Oven Roasted Broccoli is such a bright and light pasta recipe! When you want pasta, but you don’t want something heavy like a Ragu, this Lemon Penne is going to become your go-to. It is bursting with fresh lemon flavor and lightly caramelized oven roasted broccoli. Perfect pasta dinner for summer!
This recipe is a highly requested dinner at my house. My husband and I have been eating it for years. It started as a recipe from Ina Garten called Bow Ties & Broccoli. However, thru the years, I have morphed the recipe by removing this.. adding that… changing this… and it has now turned into this Lemon Penne with Oven Roasted Broccoli.
Oven Roasted Broccoli & Pine Nuts
If you love broccoli you will love this recipe… on repeat!
For this recipe I prefer to oven roast my broccoli at 400 degrees for about 12 minutes. This leaves the broccoli nice and al dente so it still has a little bite. I think that texture holds up nicely next to the pasta.
Now if you like your roasted broccoli just a little more caramelized then you can either bump up the temp. to 425 and stick with the 12 minutes, or keep it at 400 and roast it a little longer, between 15-18 minutes. Just keep an eye on it to make sure your broccoli doesn’t burn!
However long you choose to cook your broccoli, just make sure to toss the pine nuts on the baking sheet for the last minute or two to give them a nice toasting. It really brings out the buttery almost bacon-y flavor of the pine nuts! YUM
Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce
How good does that sound, Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce! My mouth waters just from typing it.
This sauce is where the flavor is at in this recipe. It is a buttery sauce with a burst of fresh lemon and a kick of garlic. Those flavors compliment the roasted broccoli perfectly!
It is a super simple sauce to make. You only need 4 ingredients:
- Butter
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Lemon
- Garlic
In a sauce pan you melt the butter and olive oil together. Add the lemon zest and garlic and let it lightly simmer for a few minutes. Off the heat you add the fresh lemon juice and a little salt. That is it.
Variations on Lemon Penne with Oven Roasted Broccoli
I have perfected this recipe thru the years to suit my families taste buds. You may want to try some different variations depending on your families palate. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- I know my kids can be picky about the type of pasta I use (which is crazy because they all taste the same for God’s sake!). Try using spirals, macaroni, or bow ties.
- Add some fresh grated Parmesan cheese over the top for an extra layer of flavor.
- If you want to add some more veggies you could try throwing some cherry tomatoes, and zucchini on the sheet pan with the broccoli for the last 5 minutes of cooking time. This would make a nice pasta primavera!
- In the spring when asparagus is in season and inexpensive try subbing it for the broccoli.
- Substitute chopped walnuts for the pine nuts. Just make sure to still roast them in the oven with the broccoli. This will bring out their natural buttery flavor.
- If you have a spiralizer, try this recipe using zoodles (zucchini noodles) instead of pasta.
Making it a Dinner
To be totally honest, when we have this for dinner during the week I usually do not make an additional side dish.
To bulk up the dinner you can add a little Buttermilk Grilled Chicken or Marinated Grilled Chicken, and some garlic bread. Or if you are feeding kids, make these baked chicken meatballs for kids or toss some chicken nuggets in the oven with the broccoli!
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Lemon Penne with Oven Roasted Broccoli
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ lb. penne pasta - cooked per package instructions
- 3 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite size pieces - (this will be 1 large head of broccoli)
- olive oil
- 2 tablespoon pine nuts
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest - (about 1 lemon)
- 3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 plump garlic cloves, sliced thinly
- ½ tsp kosher salt
Instructions
Prep Notes
- Multitask this recipe so that dinner is ready a little faster, while the pasta is boiling and the broccoli is roasting make the lemon garlic butter sauce.
Pasta
- Cook the penne pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.½ lb. penne pasta
Oven Roasted Broccoli
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.Place the broccoli florets on a sheet pan lined with foil or parchment paper. Drizzle with a generous glug of olive oil and sprinkle with a little salt. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes. (Note-If you like more caramelization leave it in the oven for a minute or two longer.)3 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite size pieces, olive oil
- Add the pine nuts to the baking sheet (with the broccoli) and roast and additional 1 ½ – 2 minutes.Set aside.2 tablespoon pine nuts
Lemon Garlic Butter Sauce
- In a small sauce pan add the butter and olive oil over low heat.2 tablespoon butter, 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Once the butter is melted add the garlic and lemon zest. Cook for 2-3 minutes, making sure the garlic does not brown!1 tablespoon lemon zest, 2 plump garlic cloves, sliced thinly
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the lemon juice and salt.3 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Assemble
- In a large bowl combine the pasta, pine nuts, and broccoli. Drizzle the lemon garlic butter sauce over the pasta mixture and toss to coat. Serve immediately. **Optionally toss in some fresh grated parmesan cheese
JOHN says
Perfectly delicious summer pasta!
Susie says
And PERFECT for fall and winter… yummmmm
Jill says
I think roasting broccoli in the oven is the best way to make broccoli. Love the addition of the pine nuts too – and a lemon garlic butter is great with anything!
Annemarie @ justalittlebitofbacon says
Your penne and broccoli are speaking my name! I need to make this! I love that you toasted the pine nuts as well since it makes them so much better. And I’m glad to know that my kid isn’t the only one who can be fussy about pasta shapes. 🙂
Susie says
I hope you give this recipe a try!
That pasta shape thing drives me CRAZY… I can’t just say “do you want pasta for dinner?” I have to say “which pasta shape would you like for dinner?” Ugh.. momlife
Taylor Kiser says
Love everything about this! So easy and the flavors are incredible!
Susie says
Thank you so much, Taylor!
Nicole Triebe says
I love all things lemon and pasta is no exception! This looks to die for!
Susie says
Thank you, Nicole!!! I love lemon too!
Lauren says
Literally every ingredient in this recipe is a favorite of mine! I love lemon with broccoli and the crunch of pine nuts – delicious!
Susie says
Oh Good!!!! I hope you love it!
John says
This is a great summer dish!
Susie says
It’s one of my faves
Bill says
This sounds really good, Susie. I can see it as a side dish or a main dish both. Thanks!
Susie says
Thank you, Bill! It can definitely be used either way, it would be great with a grilled chicken breast.