Enjoy a delightful one-pot pasta dish featuring tender broccoli, rich cream cheese sauce, and zesty lemon-infused breadcrumbs, perfect for a quick and satisfying meal.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat, then add the dried penne pasta and cook according to package instructions.
2
When only 2 minutes are left in pasta cook time, toss in the bite-sized broccoli florets into the pot with pasta.
3
Reserve 1 1/2 cups of pasta water before draining the pasta and broccoli in a colander.
4
In the same pot, melt unsalted butter over low heat and stir in panko breadcrumbs, lemon zest, finely chopped parsley, and a pinch of salt.
5
Cook for 1-2 minutes, until breadcrumbs are lightly toasted and golden brown, then transfer to a bowl and set aside.
6
Place the pot back on the heat and combine 3/4 cup of reserved pasta water, softened cream cheese, whole milk, and lemon juice.
7
Stir continuously over low heat until the cream cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
8
Add the cooked pasta and broccoli back to the pot, gently stirring to coat with the cream cheese sauce. Add more reserved pasta water if the sauce is too thick.
9
Serve in bowls and sprinkle generously with zesty breadcrumb mixture.