Easy Vegan Broccoli and Garlic Pasta

Hey there! This easy vegan pasta is garlicky, lemony, super tasty, and made with less than 10 ingredients!

It's a really awesome pasta to swap for when you're tired of regular ol' pasta sauce. You can bulk it up even more by adding in more veggies, lentils, or tofu!

This is one of my all time favorite pasta dishes to make. It's a classic crowd pleaser that you can throw together in no time with only 10 ingredients (that's including the spices!)

Here's What You'll Need:

Broccoli: The true star of this dish. Who doesn't love broccoli? We'll be roasting these in the oven so the florets get a nice crusty char with tons of flavor.

Lemon: Some fresh lemon juice added in the end helps bring the entire dish together. It brightens the flavors of every other ingredient and adds a delightful fresh note.

Garlic: Okay... maybe this is the true star of the dish. I'll admit, I'm a bit of a garlic fiend. The more the merrier!

Angel Hair Pasta: If you've never used angel hair pasta, I highly recommend! It has a really nice texture and for some reason makes the whole dish seem fancier. (Totally cool to use any pasta you like! Whole wheat pasta would sub well too)

Olive Oil: This is pretty much the sauce for this dish. Once mixed with the broccoli, garlic, and lemon it is the most luxurious sauce you'll ever taste.

How To Put It All Together:

1. Roast the broccoli in the oven while you wait for the pasta water to boil.

2. Cook the pasta until al dente.

3. Sauté the garlic in olive oil until golden and fragrant.

4. Mix all of the components together and enjoy!

Broccoli and Garlic Pasta

5-6 Servings | 40 min. total

Ingredients:

* 2 heads of fresh broccoli

* 1 lemon

* 1 lb angel hair pasta

* 6 cloves of garlic (or more haha), minced

* 1 c. olive oil, plus a lil more for drizzling

* 1 tsp garlic powder

*1 tsp oregano

*1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

*1/2 tsp black pepper

*1/2 tsp salt, plus a lil more for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or foil.

2. Wash and cut your broccoli into bite size florets. Pat dry as much as you can.

3. Set some water on the stove in a large pot to boil for your pasta. Add a generous sprinkling of salt to the water and stir.

4. Dump the broccoli on your baking sheet and drizzle over some olive oil (about a tbs. worth). Sprinkle the garlic powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper over the broccoli. Toss it all together with your hands until well coated.

5. Make sure the broccoli is spread out evenly before popping it in the oven for 25 minutes*

6. Once the water is boiling, add your pasta. Follow box instructions for cook time or to your personal preference (I like mine a lil al dente).

7. Once you drop the pasta, add a drizzle of olive oil to a separate pot over medium heat (make sure the pot is big enough to mix all the pasta!)

8. Add the minced garlic to the pot and sauté until golden browned fragrant, just a couple minutes. Turn off the heat*

9. The broccoli and pasta should be almost done! Once it's finished, add the broccoli and pasta to the pot with the garlic.

10. Add in the cup of olive oil, juice from 1/2-1 whole lemon, and about a 1/4 c. of pasta water.

11. Mix everything together well. Taste for seasoning and adjust salt and pepper if needed.

And that's it! Enjoy your super easy and ridiculously tasty pasta!

*Notes

* Increase the cook time on your broccoli if you want a softer texture. 25 minutes left it with a nice lil bite.

* I added a splash of white wine to the garlic while it was sautéing. Totally optional, but it added a nice richness to the dish!

* Top your pasta with some nutritional yeast or an extra sprinkling of red pepper flakes for an extra dose of yum!

* Serve with a fresh salad to make it a never-fail meal.