meatless monday: pasta with broccoli, goat cheese & oregano

Posted by the lushers on Apr 11, 2011 in entrees, pasta & grains, vegetarian |

here’s another fabulous recipe from my favorite resource for quick & easy weeknight meals.

it’s a nice twist on alfredo, perfect for spring. using goat cheese in place of butter & cream keeps the dish light, while the fresh oregano & lemon brighten the whole thing up. toss in a hefty portion of broccoli & you’ve got yourself an amazing & meatless one pot wonder.

PASTA WITH BROCCOLI, GOAT CHEESE & OREGANO
serves 4

1lb broccoli, cut into small florets
1lb dried pasta (something long, like linguine or fettuccine)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, zested, juiced & divided
8oz goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves, roughly chopped, divided
salt & freshly ground pepper
grated parmesan, for serving

bring a large pot of water to a boil & salt liberally. add pasta. when the pasta is a few minutes shy of al dente, add the broccoli florets & cook until pasta is done. scoop out 1 cup of cooking liquid & set aside. drain pasta & broccoli.

return the pasta & broccoli to the pot & add the olive oil, lemon juice, half of the zest & toss to coat. add the goat cheese & half of the oregano. turn the heat under the pot on low & toss the pasta to coat, adding the reserved pasta water as necessary to loosen the sauce. season with salt & pepper to taste. divide among 4 plates, top with remaining lemon zest, oregano, sprinkle with parmesan & serve.

very slightly adapted from serious eats, dinner tonight

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Tags: broccoli, goat cheese, lemon, oregano