Name: The 20-Minute Dinner I Make on Busy Weeknights (Even My Kids Love It)
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 17 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: Kosher salt, to taste; 2 large broccoli crowns (about 2 pounds), cut into florets with stems chopped; 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced; 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more to taste; 1 pound pasta of choice; 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese; Fresh lemon, optional

Ingredients

6 serv.

Kosher salt, to taste
2 large broccoli crowns (about 2 pounds), cut into florets with stems chopped
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
1 pound pasta of choice
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh lemon, optional

Instructions

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1 Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once it’s boiling, season it generously with kosher salt. Add the broccoli and cook until it’s fork tender but still bright green in color, 4 to 6 minutes.
2 While the broccoli cooks, heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and heat it over medium heat for about 30 seconds, then remove it from the heat and add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Let it infuse off the heat for about 1 minute.
3 When the broccoli is cooked, remove it from the pot with a slotted spoon (keep the water hot) and transfer it to the saucepan with the garlic oil. Using a potato masher or a large sturdy fork, mash the broccoli until it is broken down into small pieces.
4 Bring the same pot of water back to a rolling boil. Add your pasta of choice and cook according to the package directions until al dente. While the pasta cooks, keep the saucepan with the broccoli sauce over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, to keep warm.
5 When the pasta is al dente, reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta. Add the drained pasta to the broccoli along with the Parmesan cheese and about 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water. Turn the heat up to medium-low. Cook, stirring constantly, until the cheese has melted and the mixture has absorbed almost all of the pasta cooking water. Add more pasta water as needed until you have a creamy, glossy sauce. Taste, adding a squeeze or two of lemon (if desired) and salt if needed. Serve. Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!