Description
A quick and fresh pasta dish featuring zucchini ribbons tossed in a light lemon and garlic sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
- 12 oz spaghetti or linguine
- 2 medium zucchini
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- Zest of 1 large lemon
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
- While the pasta cooks, prepare the zucchini. Use a vegetable peeler to create long, thin ribbons from the zucchini, discarding the ends.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Add the zucchini ribbons to the skillet. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until they are slightly tender but still hold their shape.
- Pour in the lemon juice and add the lemon zest. Stir well.
- Add the cooked pasta and the reserved pasta water to the skillet. Toss everything together until the sauce lightly coats the pasta.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until the sauce emulsifies slightly.
- Season generously with salt and pepper. Stir in the chopped parsley.
- Serve immediately with extra Parmesan cheese on top.
Notes
- For best results, use a vegetable peeler to make wide, thin ribbons instead of dicing the zucchini.
- If you prefer a slightly softer zucchini, add it to the skillet 1 minute earlier.
- You can add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic for a little heat.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Skillet Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 350
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 9
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 68
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 16
- Cholesterol: 15