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    Oh My Veggies » Vegetarian Recipes » Vegetarian & Vegan Pasta Recipes

    Roasted Broccoli and Lemon Pasta

    Published: Feb 9, 2015 · by Nicole · Updated: Jan 10, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    This simple pasta dinner is definitely a bright spot on a dark and chilly evening. I love how light and fresh it tastes, while still providing that need for comfort food in the dead of winter. The broccoli and lemons are roasted together in the oven with a couple of leeks, which is a flavor combination that I absolutely adore in raw salads but when everything is roasted together it takes things to a whole new level. If you've never roasted lemons before, get ready for the intoxicating aromas coming out of your kitchen. It's a fragrance I can totally get used to!

    Roasting lemons is definitely a new thing for me and now that this door has opened a world of possibilities are at my fingertips. I was inspired to make this pasta after reading a recipe in the New York Times for pasta with fried lemons and chili flakes. I loved the idea of frying the lemons but when it came down to making this I thought it would be easier to roast the lemons with the other vegetables for one less step. I'm all about cutting corners in the kitchen! Roasting lemons lightly caramelizes them, making their trademark tartness a little more mellow--and yes, you can eat the whole thing, rind and all. They'd make a great addition to any vegetable side dish and even as a topping for pizza.

    Roasted Broccoli and Lemon Pasta
    I was originally going to top this pasta with a little shredded parmesan cheese. However, when it came time to sprinkle some onto the finished dish I realized we were fresh out. The horror! Instead of freaking out I took a deep breath and turned to my favorite vegan alternative: almond "parmesan" cheese. I've enjoyed almond "parm" on a lot of dishes I order at vegan restaurants and it tastes surprisingly similar to the real deal. The texture is definitely different--it's a little grainier since it's made from nuts--but I like the added cheesy crunch that this version provides.  I've been making big batches of "cheese" on a regular basis so I can keep a mason jar on hand that I can easily sprinkle on salads, eggs or in this case, pasta.  It's simple to prepare and only requires 4 ingredients. Almonds, nutritional yeast, garlic powder and salt. A few whizzes in your food processor and voila, almond parm! I used this recipe from Minimalist Baker as a guide and adjusted to my personal preference, but if you happen to have grated parm in the fridge, feel free to use that instead.

    Recipe

    Roasted Broccoli and Lemon Pasta

    The bright flavor of lemon makes this easy weeknight pasta dinner impossible to resist.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Email Recipe
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Keyword: pasta recipe, Roasted Broccoli and Lemon Pasta, vegetarian pasta recipe
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 653kcal
    Author: Oh My Veggies

    Ingredients

    • 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
    • 1 medium head broccoli cut into uniform florets (about 4 cups)
    • 2 medium leeks trimmed and sliced into ¼ inch rounds (white and light green parts only)
    • 2 lemons cut into thin rounds and seeds removed
    • Salt and pepper to taste
    • 10 ounces whole wheat penne pasta or pasta of choice, cooked al dente
    • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

    For the Almond Parmesan:

    • 1 cup raw almonds
    • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Toss the broccoli, leeks and lemons together with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper and place on a prepared baking sheet. Roast in the oven until lightly browned and tender, about 25 minutes, tossing halfway through the cooking time. If the leeks are browning too quickly, remove them earlier.
    • While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the almond parmesan. Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and process until the "cheese" is similar in texture to grated parmesan. Taste and add more nutritional yeast, salt or garlic powder if needed.
    • In a large bowl, toss the vegetables with the pasta and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Stir in the crushed red pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide onto plates and serve with the almond parmesan.

    Notes

    Leftover almond parmesan can be refrigerated in an airtight container for several weeks. If you're not a fan of strong lemon flavors, discard the lemon rounds before serving--they'll still infuse the dish with a subtle flavor.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 4servingsCalories: 653kcalCarbohydrates: 76gProtein: 25gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 1gSodium: 356mgPotassium: 1009mgFiber: 17gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 1775IUVitamin C: 170mgCalcium: 208mgIron: 4mg
    Craving more veg-friendly recipes? Shop our collection of vegetarian and vegan cookbooks, including our new Vegan Thanksgiving and Vegan Christmas cookbooks!
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    Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian & Vegan Pasta Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes broccoli, lemon, main dishes, pasta

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Mandy says

      February 10, 2015 at 1:59 am

      This looks delicious! Must try it out--I've been craving pasta lately. 🙂

      Mandy

      Reply
    2. Anna says

      February 10, 2015 at 9:09 am

      This looks absolutely amazing <3<3

      Reply
    3. Lauren says

      February 10, 2015 at 6:37 pm

      How am I not following you on pinterest? Am now! Love love your blog.

      Reply
    4. Jennifer @ Delicious Everyday says

      February 12, 2015 at 9:11 am

      Mmmmh! Broccoli and lemon, looks really yummy!

      Reply
    5. Sandra says

      February 14, 2015 at 8:53 am

      What a gorgeous photo and recipe!

      Reply
    6. Melanie says

      February 16, 2015 at 9:23 pm

      We roasted some whole garlic cloves and tossed them in too. Delicious!! We'll definitely be making this again!

      Reply
      • Kat says

        February 19, 2015 at 11:12 am

        Tried this and loved it! I love lemons, why have I not been roasting them?!

        I added some Asparagus and Artichoke Hearts to the mix with a bit of ghee.... MMM!!

        Reply
    7. kim says

      February 22, 2015 at 6:34 pm

      So i made this tonight and i am not sure what i did wrong but it turned out terrible! After only about half the roasting time everything was slightly burned and bitter tasting! Don't think i will try this again.

      Reply
    8. Bonnie says

      February 28, 2015 at 11:44 am

      Sorry but like the person before me, this was awful. I wondered about the bitterness and went against my own judgment but thought I would try it anyway. I had it in there for at least 30 minutes. It was bitter just like if I ate a lemon peel. Thankfully, I was able to take all the lemons out and salvage it. I followed the recipe to a T. Never again!

      Reply
    9. liz says

      February 28, 2015 at 4:57 pm

      We made this on Monday and it was wonderful. Love the roasted lemons. Great flavor combination. Was hesitant about the almond "parm" but was pleasantly surprised. Will make again!

      Reply
    10. Charlotte says

      February 28, 2015 at 5:27 pm

      LOVED this! Didn't have broccoli on hand and had to use up some brussels sprouts so I subbed those in for the broc. Worked like a charm and roasted lemons have changed my life! Who even knew you could eat the peel?!!!!

      Reply
    11. Unical says

      March 26, 2015 at 10:45 am

      I love pasta and this recipe looks simply and delicious. Definetely will try this.

      Reply
    12. sylvie says

      April 04, 2015 at 12:03 am

      Love this flavors combo, it's out of the ordinary and sounds as a gourmet dish!

      Reply
    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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    Nicole is a life long vegetarian and the author of the popular vegan cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. She loves sharing her recipes and showing the world just how easy and delicious meatless meals can be!
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