Easy Weeknight Recipe: Lemon Broccoli Tortellini
Cheesy broccoli is a classic side dish and a timeless parenting hack for getting kids to eat their vegetables. Even Kraft advertises this trick in their latest TV commercial! But why should this magical combination be limited to a side dish? That means you have to think up and prepare a separate main entree. Make your life easier and your kids happier by making this easy lemon broccoli tortellini, a main entree take on the classic cheesy broccoli side dish! This is so easy and quick to make, it’s perfect for a weeknight meal.
Ingredients for the Roasted Broccoli
- 1 1/2 pounds broccoli cut into bite size pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Ingredients for the Tortellini
- 1 pound cheese tortellini refrigerated or frozen
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- Dash of crushed red pepper
- 3 cups packed fresh spinach
- Zest of 1 large lemon
- Juice of 1 large lemon
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the broccoli pieces on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Add the garlic and toss broccoli until well coated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place baking sheet in the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring once. Remove broccoli when it is crisp and slightly charred. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook tortellini according to package instructions. When cooked, drain, but reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Set the water and tortellini aside.
- Put the pot back on the stove and melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot, garlic, crushed red pepper, and spinach and cook until spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the lemon zest and stir.
- Turn the heat to low and add the cooked tortellini and roasted broccoli to the pot. Stir in the reserved pasta water and lemon juice. Cook on low until tortellini is warm, about two minutes. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the tortellini and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve warm.
- Note-the tortellini will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. After reheating, drizzle a little olive oil and fresh lemon juice over the top and toss to freshen it up. You can also garnish it with additional Parmesan cheese.
Bon Apetit!
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