A wonderful medley of fresh, citrus and salty flavours coming together in this lemon garlic pasta made with broccoli and asparagus!
We love vegetable pasta, like Creamy Orzo Pasta with Roasted Butternut Squash!
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The time I’ve spent in Italy or around a dining table with Italian friends has taught me that the the best pasta doesn’t have to be drowned in sauce. So many Italian recipes are incredibly simple and allow a handful of quality ingredients to shine.
I’ve created this recipe with the Italian style of cooking in mind. Even though the ingredients are simple and the process is basic, the lemon garlic pasta dish is a real star!
Pasta with lemon and garlic
When summer comes around I get a real craving for fresh and light meals. When vegetables and fruit are in season it makes sense to create recipes that show them at their very best.
This vegetarian pasta does just that. The lemon, broccoli and asparagus get the chance to shine with their fresh flavours, with the pasta providing plenty of substance to make this a satisfying meal.
Lemon and garlic is actually an underrated combination, and one that I’m happy to promote. The citrus hit of lemon provides a fresh acidity to a dish, while garlic is there for savoury depth. Easy to see why they work!
I’ve actually used the combination quite a lot. It often features in salad dressings, or as a topping for vegetable side dishes like roasted broccoli and green beans.
As a bonus I’ve added capers. I have a real love for capers, which add a salty pop that meshes perfectly with the fresh vegetables and citrus tang.
The result is a lemon garlic pasta that you’ll come back to time and again! Quick, simple and the perfect pasta for summer!
How to make it
This recipe comes together very quickly, only slightly longer than it takes for the pasta to boil! Start off by getting a pot of water boiling and trimming off the woody ends of the broccoli and asparagus.
Add the vegetables to the water with a good pinch of salt and let them boil for 3 minutes. Don’t leave them any longer so they are not soggy. Set them aside till ready for the next step.
With the vegetables removed you can add the pasta to the same water. Follow the timings on the package of pasta as this varies depending on the brand you are using.
While the pasta is boiling, put a pan over low heat and add the olive oil and butter. Give it a minute to heat up, then add sliced garlic and fry it lightly without colouring. Be careful not to cook it too long or over too much heat as burnt garlic will be unpleasant.
Squeeze in the juice of a half lemon, then add the asparagus, broccoli and capers and a pinch of salt. Toss it all together gently and remove the pan from the heat.
Drain the linguine when it is cooked al dente, saving a cup of the pasta water. Add the pasta to everything in the pan along with the grated Parmesan cheese and a splash of pasta water.
Toss it again so everything is well combined and enjoy!
Recipe tips and notes
- Capers add a salty pop to the recipe but can be left out if preferred.
- Because the capers bring plenty of salt to the recipe, be careful when adding additional salt.
- The shape of the pasta matters more than many of us realise. For this recipe, I’ve chosen linguine, which is long and thin with a slightly flat side, perfect for a lemon garlic sauce to stick to. Other long pasta shapes, such as spaghetti or fettuccine, will work as well.
- Pasta can soak up sauce really quickly. Adding a splash of reserved pasta water can keep the final dish loose and silky.
- Want to keep it plant-based? Make this recipe vegan by leaving out the butter and vegetarian hard cheese.
Serving suggestions
I would have a revolt on my hands if I served a pasta like this one without garlic bread! But that’s okay by me. I love it just as much, and it’s as quick and simple to make as this tasty pasta.
I don’t think that the pasta needs much more than this. But if I did want to make it a larger meal, I would add bruschetta to start off, and a classic Italian salad like Tuscan panzanella or caprese on the side. A lovely spread it would be too!
Storage and leftovers
Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. I never recommend freezing pasta as it ends up a bit too soggy to be enjoyable.
The simplest and quickest way to reheat leftovers is to use a microwave. Depending on how powerful yours is, it should take 2-2.5 minutes.
More vegetarian pasta recipes
- Vegetarian Mushroom Carbonara
- Creamy Brie Mac and Cheese
- Sicilian Pasta alla Norma
- Mediterranean Pasta with Zucchini
Lemon Garlic Pasta with Broccoli and Asparagus
Ingredients
- 500g/1 lb linguine or other long pasta
- 200g/7oz Tenderstem broccoli
- 100g/3.5 oz asparagus
- 70g/½ cup capers
- ½ lemon
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp This is an affiliate link.olive oil
- 30g/2 tbsp butter
- Parmesan cheese to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to the boil and add a good pinch of salt. Trim the woody ends off of Tenderstem broccoli and asparagus and add to the boiling water. Boil for 3 minutes, then remove, leaving the water boiling.
- Add pasta to the same pot and cook to package instructions.
- Warm a large pan over low heat and add olive oil and butter. Lightly fry sliced garlic over low heat for 30 seconds without colouring it, careful not to let the garlic burn, then add the juice of ½ lemon. Add the asparagus, broccoli and capers with a pinch of salt, gently toss to coat and remove from heat.
- Drain linguine when cooked al dente, reserving a cup of the pasta water. Add the linguine to the pan with a splash of pasta water with grated Parmesan cheese and pepper. Combine well, salt to taste and serve.
