Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until almost al dente.
When about 2 minutes of pasta cooking time remain, add broccoli to pot. Continue cooking until pasta is al dente.
Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water, then drain pasta and broccoli.
While pasta is cooking, mix together ricotta, butter, garlic, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Season generously to taste with salt and pepper.
Microwave ricotta sauce for 30 seconds; stir well. Continue heating sauce at 30 second intervals, until sauce is warmed and smooth (about 1 ½ minutes total).*
Add drained pasta and broccoli to ricotta sauce. Mix well, adding just enough of the reserved pasta cooking water to help sauce coat pasta.
Taste pasta and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.
Serve immediately, topped with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Notes
Make sure to check out the info before this recipe for lots of tips and tricks.Not a broccoli fan? Feel free to swap in your favorite veggies, such as peas, asparagus, or spinach.If you don't have a microwave, heat sauce ingredients gently in a large skillet until smooth and creamy.