Skillet Pasta with Sun Dried Tomatoes Walnuts and Feta

Step 1

Place the chopped walnuts in a large skillet and toast them over medium-low heat, stirring often, until they smell toasty (1-2 minutes). Remove them from the skillet to a medium bowl.

Step 2

Add the olive oil and minced garlic to the skillet and turn the heat up to medium. Sauté the garlic for about one minute, or just until it has softened and smells very fragrant. Add the frozen broccoli florets to the skillet with the garlic (no need to thaw) and sauté for about two minutes more, or just until the broccoli is thawed through. Remove the broccoli to the bowl with the walnuts.

Step 3

Slice the sun dried tomatoes into small pieces or strips. Add the pasta, vegetable broth, sun dried tomatoes, about 1 Tbsp of the juice from the lemon, and a pinch of red pepper flakes to the skillet, and stir to combine (the broth will not fully cover the pasta and that is okay). Place a lid on the skillet and turn the heat up to high. Allow the broth to come up to a boil, give the pasta a stir, replace the lid, turn the heat down to low, and let it simmer for 7-10 minutes or until the pasta is tender and most of the broth has been absorbed. Stir the pasta every few minutes as it simmers, replacing the lid quickly every time to maintain the simmer.

Step 4

While the pasta simmers, use a zester or small-holed cheese grater to remove the zest from the lemon. Once the pasta is tender and only a small amount of saucy liquid remains in the bottom of the skillet, return the broccoli and walnuts to the skillet and stir to combine. Top with crumbled feta and zest from the lemon and serve.