Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yields: 4 servings

DIRECTIONs

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the broccoli florets until tender, then remove them from the pot and set aside.

2. In the same pot, cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining.

3. Meanwhile, in a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, shallot, and red chili flakes. Sauté until fragrant and golden, about 4-5 minutes.

4. Add the cooked broccoli florets to the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Lower the heat and gently mash the broccoli with a fork or potato masher to break it up slightly.

5. Stir in the vegan parmesan (if using) and continue simmering on low heat until the mixture thickens and becomes creamy, about 10 minutes.

6. Once the pasta is cooked, add it to the pan with the broccoli mixture. Pour in the vegetable broth and the juice of half a lemon. Toss everything together to coat the pasta with the sauce. If needed, add some of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.

7. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.

8. Serve the creamy vegan broccoli pasta immediately, garnished with additional vegan parmesan if desired.