It's light, fresh, healthy, and can be made in just one pot! This One Pot Broccoli Penne is a meatless meal will sure to be a family favorite like it is in our house!
Healthy? Check. Easy? Check. Kid approved? ALL THE CHECKS. This is one of our latest and greatest one pot meals that the kids love and that I know is absolutely packed full or broccoli and nutrition!
Ingredients Needed
Fresh, light, and super easy ingredients.
- Fresh Broccoli - You could use frozen too, but fresh is really best for this recipe.
- Whole Wheat Penne - Sub regular or any other pasta you have.
- Parmesan Cheese - Asiago, Romano, or any other nice salty hard cheese would be delightful!
- Fresh Lemon Juice and Zest - Again, fresh is best!
- Oilve oil, fresh garlic, onion powder, salt, and pepper - The standards.
Customizable: You could also add in some rotisserie or leftover chicken or other cooked meat like turkey!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Put it all in a pot and boil.
Yup, that's basically it. Ok, ok you do need to make sure that you put the Penne first and then add the broccoli - but that's pretty much the hardest part. 🙂
You could use either a Large Pot or a Dutch Oven.
Oh right, then add the oil, lemon juice, zest, and the most important part - the cheese!
Give it a mix and serve!
Done! Easy, peasy. It's a super simple but delicious pasta dish coated with oil nad lemon.
Other Favorite Easy Healthy Dinners
One Pot Cheesy Kielbasa Broccoli and Rice
20 Minute Sweet and Spicy Noodles
Chicken and Broccoli Sesame Noodles
FAQs
Yes. I prefer fresh, but frozen works fine, just add them in later in the pasta cooking - at about 8 minutes for just 1 minute.
Definitely. Just adjust cooking times to the kind of pasta - for instance, a thin spaghetti will take much less time than penne.
Yup! Just toss 'em in and let them cook in the pot!
Enjoy, friends! Looking for a healthy, easy, weeknight meal to help balance all of that summer ice cream? Here ya go! BTW, here's one of our favorites: No Churn White Chocolate and Chocolate Chip Ice Cream.
Enjoy! As always, if you make this recipe or any of my others, I love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below, email me, or you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
If you want to see more, be sure to sign up for my 5 Easy Ways to Start Cooking From Scratch!
One Pot Broccoli Penne
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb whole wheat penne pasta
- 1 lb broccoli florets about 5-6 cups
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced see notes
- juice from half a lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to salt water
- fresh ground pepper
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese plus more for topping
Instructions
- Bring a large pot with salted water to a boil.
- Add penne to pot and boil for 5 minutes. Add broccoli and boil for another 3-4 minutes until broccoli is bright green and tender. Drain and return to the pot.
- Add garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper to the pot and mix well. Add olive oil and mix. Top with Parmesan cheese and mix. Serve immediately and top with more Parmesan cheese.
When do you add the lemon zest and lemon juice?
Oh! So sorry- right before the cheese!
Divine! This is our new favourite pasta dish - easy to prepare, and so tasty, and a great way to enjoy greens!
We love adding broccoli to pasta for a green boost. This looks delicious.
I simply love easy peasy dishes like this! No fuss involved, perfect for a busy night during the week - and, penne is involved!
So simple yet so healthy and delicious. A perfect easy weeknight meal!
This was the perfect weeknight meal for our family! Simple, healthy and super delicious!
Hi,
How much garlic?
Thank you
GG
Oops! 2 garlic cloves, minced! Sorry about that - thanks for pointing that out!