This recipe is simple to make and is ready in about 20 minutes. It is a surprisingly tasty and refreshing pasta that is very good in the summer.
The interesting thing about this recipe is that besides regular spaghetti it uses Zucchini noodles (also known as “zoodles”) which are the perfect gluten-free zucchini pasta alternative.
This recipe is also known as courgette noodles or courgetti spaghetti. Courgette is a vegetable that is rich in water and has good amounts of fibre. As it has a very mild taste, courgette is very versatile and can be eaten raw or cooked for example.
You can find courgette in the vegetable section of any market. It is a very common vegetable. It is preferable to buy only the quantity you need to consume at once, as courgette spoils quickly, becoming shrivelled, with a dull skin or rotting. When in their natural condition, the fruit should be kept in a cool, shaded place for up to two days. In the refrigerator, they can be kept for a maximum of 5 days.
I made the zucchini noodles using a Spiralizer, you can easily find it on Amazon. You can also make zucchini noodles using a julienne peeler or a mandoline, if you want.
This lemony zucchini pasta recipe can also be very interesting for vegans. You can easily adapt the butter and cheese for plant-based products and enjoy the refreshing taste of this delicious noodle.
Contents
What is the secret of this lemon and zucchini pasta?
This recipe shows how to make a delicious pasta dish, combining tasty spaghetti, zucchini noodles, cheese, Sicilian lemon, mint, and basil.
It’s amazing how these ingredients go together. I particularly like the mixture of Parmesan cheese with lemon and basil. I always use this “magic three” to give a special touch to my recipes. In this pasta, the mint brings refreshness and elegance to the dish.
The big secret of this lemon courgette pasta is how the sauce is made from the cooking water of the spaghetti pasta.
The hot salty water helps to combine all the ingredients, forming a very creamy sauce. The ground pepper brings a light spiciness that enhances the refreshes of the dish. You can adapt or add ingredients as you wish.
The pasta is cooked for about 10-11 minutes. Since the sauce can be made very quickly, it means you can make this dish in less than 20 minutes!
How to garnish this zucchini lemon noodles dish?
In these photos, I used just a few basil leaves. But you may wish to use some freshly ground pepper, or some grated Parmesan before presenting your dish. It is up to you.
Be aware that this is a meal to eat while hot, as it cools the cheese tends to curdle.
I love the combination of lemon, mint, basil, cheese, and ground pepper. As a quick and tasty meal that you can prepare in less than 20 minutes with minimal fuss, this lemon courgette pasta is a great recipe for during the week when no one has much time.
It can also be a good alternative to match with a good white wine.
If you try this recipe, please let me know how you do in the comments section below!
How to make the lemon zucchini noodles recipe
Lemon Zucchini Noodles with Mint
Prepare this lemon zucchini pasta recipe for a quick and
tasty week night meal.
Ingredients
- 300g spaghetti
- 1 small zucchini
- 100g butter
- Juice of 1 (Sicilian) lemon
- 1 cup of mint leaves
- ½ cup of basil leaves
- 200g Parmesan cheese (you can also use Grana Padano cheese)
- Ground pepper
- Salt
Instructions
- Boil a pan of water and cook pasta according to the manufacturer's instructions (I used a pasta that only took 10 minutes to cook). I add a pinch of salt to the water to help add flavour (The water must be salty like sea water).
- Make zucchini noodles using the spiralizer.
- In a bowl put the butter, lemon juice and some zest (make sure the lemon is well washed), cheese, mint and basil leaves, and finally the zucchini noodles.
- Mix all ingredients in the bowl using forks.
- Fully drain the pasta (without throwing away the water) and add it in the bowl. Then pour over the bowl more or less of ½ cup of the pasta's water and mix well with all the ingredients before serving.
- Sprinkle with some crumbled Ground pepper and salt before serving.
Notes
Feel free to garnish with Parmesan and/or basil leaves, if desired.