Lemon Zucchini Pasta (Print Version)

Light pasta featuring spiralized zucchini in a zesty lemon butter sauce. Fresh, quick, and perfect for an easy weeknight dinner.

# Components:

→ Pasta & Vegetables

01 - 10 oz spaghetti or linguine
02 - 2 medium zucchinis, spiralized
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ Sauce

06 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
08 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Seasonings

09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
10 - Pinch of red pepper flakes, optional

# Method:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add spiralized zucchini to skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring gently, until just tender but still crisp.
04 - Add cooked pasta to skillet along with lemon zest, lemon juice, and a splash of reserved pasta water. Toss gently to combine.
05 - Stir in Parmesan cheese and parsley. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if desired. Add more pasta water as needed to create a silky sauce.
06 - Serve immediately, garnishing with extra Parmesan and parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in the time it takes to boil pasta, which means you can have dinner on the table before anyone starts snacking.
  • The lemon and butter create this silky, glossy sauce that clings to every strand without feeling heavy or rich.
  • You get vegetables into the meal without it feeling like a salad pretending to be pasta.
  • It's flexible enough to dress up with shrimp or keep simple on a weeknight when you just want something clean and bright.
02 -
  • Don't skip reserving the pasta water, because plain water won't emulsify the butter and cheese into a real sauce.
  • Cook the zucchini in a hot pan for just a couple of minutes, or it will release too much liquid and make everything watery instead of silky.
  • Add the Parmesan off the heat or on very low heat so it melts into the sauce instead of clumping into weird rubbery bits.
03 -
  • Use a vegetable peeler to make wide zucchini ribbons if you don't have a spiralizer, and they'll cook even faster.
  • Warm your serving bowls in a low oven for a few minutes so the pasta stays hot longer and the sauce doesn't congeal.
  • Taste the pasta water before you drain it, because if it's not salty enough, your dish will taste flat no matter how much you season later.
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