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4.4 from 15 votes

Spaghetti with Zucchini, Lemon, and Basil

Here’s a quick, lemony vegetarian pasta dish that can easily be adapted to other greens: try it with asparagus, broccoli or broad beans when you tire of zucchini.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 411 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • sea salt
  • 3 1/2 ounces spaghetti, linguine, or pasta of choice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium (3 oz) banana shallot or 2 to 3 smaller shallots finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove finely chopped
  • A pinch of chile flakes
  • 1 medium (8 oz) zucchini roughly grated or chopped
  • Leaves from a few sprigs of fresh basil
  • Grated zest* and juice of 1/2 small unwaxed lemon preferably organic
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • Parmesan Cheese grated, to serve
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts toasted, to serve

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water and drain the pasta.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-low heat, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil, add the shallot and cook until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and chile flakes and cook for 1 minute more.
  3. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the zucchini, season with salt and pepper, and cook just long enough for the zucchini to soften and absorb some of the flavor from the garlic, shallot, and chile, 4 to 7 minutes.
  4. Remove from the heat, add the basil leaves and allow the basil to wilt slightly. Add the lemon zest and juice.
  5. Add the pasta to the skillet. Stir, adding a little pasta water, if necessary to thin the sauce.
  6. Serve hot, with plenty of grated Parmesan and pine nuts scattered on top.

Notes

  • Some people have big opinions on this—on this very site, you might not be surprised to learn. But what our fearless leader says is true—most of us are using our zesters wrong. The problem is that we're holding the zester upside down. That's right...You should be holding the lemon beneath the zester and the zester above it, with the channel facing up (grates facing down). That way, you're not continually having to check how much zest you've removed. Use your lower hand to rotate the lemon as you zest to your heart's desire.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1portion Calories 411kcal (21%) Carbohydrates 47g (16%) Protein 10g (20%) Fat 22g (34%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Monounsaturated Fat 12g Sodium 14mg (1%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 6g (12%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 411

% Daily Value*

Serving 1portion
Calories 411kcal 21%
Carbohydrates 47g 16%
Protein 10g 20%
Fat 22g 34%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Monounsaturated Fat 12g 60%
Sodium 14mg 1%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 6g 12%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.