Description
This Lemon Zucchini Pasta is a delightful blend of spaghetti and fresh zucchini, enhanced by a tangy lemon sauce. It’s a quick and healthy meal ideal for any night!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 pound pasta (spaghetti), uncooked
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 medium zucchini, shredded
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup pecorino cheese (or parmesan cheese), grated
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
- fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until al dente, around 8–10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of hot pasta water, then drain the noodles.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chopped garlic, shredded zucchini, paprika, Italian seasoning, and salt. Sauté until the zucchini becomes tender, about 3–5 minutes.
- In the skillet, stir in reserved pasta water, grated cheese, lemon juice, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly and simmer until slightly thickened, about 3–5 minutes, stirring consistently. For a silky sauce, blend for about 30 seconds after removing it from heat.
- Add the cooked pasta and chopped basil to the skillet, tossing to combine everything well with the sauce.
- Serve hot, garnished with extra cheese and fresh basil if desired.
Notes
Feel free to adjust the garlic and lemon according to your taste preference.
For a lighter version, substitute the cheese with nutritional yeast.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 56g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 15mg