Courgette Lemon Pasta (Zucchini Pasta)

Courgette Lemon Pasta, or Zucchini pasta depending on where you live, is a simple pasta dish full of the tastes of Summer. Courgette has a delicate flavour, so not to overpower it, I’ve added lemon, basil and a little garlic to this pasta sauce as it’s the perfect combination of flavours.

Courgette pasta (or zucchini pasta as it is also known) is a simple dish to cook and enjoy. This is my favourite bowl of pasta, full of flavour yet simple to cook.

I cook zucchini pasta at least once a week and it makes the best use of vibrant Summer flavours. This recipe doesn’t take long to prepare or cook, but the result is a beautifully fresh and light bowl of pasta.

I really enjoy eating courgettes and this courgette pasta recipe makes the best of this often ignored vegetable. Turning courgettes from a vegetable you add to things, instead here they are the star of the show.

Courgettes are something I enjoy eating, for my children less so. However, we all agree that this zucchini pasta sauce is one of our favourite bowls of pasta! Proving it’s not the vegetable that’s the problem, rather how you cook it. Nobody will thank you for soggy, overcooked courgette. Which sadly is how it is often served.

Inspiration for this recipe

I first tasted courgette pasta sauce sat in the sunshine on the Island of Capri off the Amalfi Coast in Italy. It remains the best bowls of pasta that I have ever eaten. Light, fresh and using few ingredients. So typically Italian to produce something so wonderful with so little!

I was on holiday with my friend and we climbed uphill for quite a distance. It was worth the climb, both for the delicious food and the breathtakingly beautiful views over the island. Every time I cook this dish, I’m whisked right back to that hillside in the sunshine, I immediately want a glass of cold, crisp white wine to accompany the dish!

Why you will love this recipe

• This is a simple, inexpensive pasta dish using a few fresh ingredients that pair beautifully together.
• The recipe is easily doubled up if you a feeding a crowd.
• Use a gluten free pasta and the recipe is suitable for coeliacs and anyone following a gluten free diet.
• Leave the Parmesan cheese off the dish and you have a great dairy free and vegan bowl of pasta.

Recipe ingredients and substitutions

• Courgette forms the bulk of the pasta sauce. I tend to use a course grater as you want the shredded courgette to keep it’s shape.
• Lemon I have used the zest one whole lemon in this pasta sauce, but the juice of half that lemon. I really enjoy the flavour of lemon and like to cook with it. However, adding in too much juice will overpower the courgette. Instead I tend to add a little, then you can always add more if you think you need to before serving. Like all cooking, taste as you go!
• Fresh Basil leaves have been shredded and added to the pasta sauce, as lemon, courgette, basil and garlic are such a classic combination. If you don’t have basil, fresh parsley would also work really well in this sauce.
• Olive Oil I use extra virgin olive oil in this pasta sauce, it has a superior flavour and really makes a difference to the finished dish.
• Parmesan Cheese is something I almost always add to a bowl of pasta, however not in this dish, where I prefer to let the subtle flavour of courgette and the freshness from the lemon and basil to shine through. The cheese is entirely optional and you can add as much or as little as you wish.
• Pasta: Linguine is the dried pasta used in this recipe as it works well with this particular sauce. If you don’t have linguine use spaghetti or any other dried pasta that you fancy.

How to make courgette pasta (zucchini pasta)

• This is a really quick cook so look out all your ingredients ready to start.
• In a large pan of boiling, salted water, cook the linguine to al-dente, roughly 10-12 minutes.
• Drain the pasta and keep aside one or two ladles of the salted cooking liquid. This liquid will be added to the sauce later.
• Meanwhile heat the olive oil in a large, non stick frying pan. Add the courgette and garlic and saute over a medium heat for 5 minutes.

• Once the pasta is cooked add the pasta into the pan, along with the grated lemon zest, lemon juice and shredded basil.
• Toss together with 1 or 2 ladles of the reserved cooking liquid. The sauce should coat the pasta, but not run off it, so only add what you need.
• Finally check the seasoning, adding a good crack of black pepper and salt to taste.
• Serve immediately into warm bowls.
• Drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil, and some finely grated Parmesan cheese if you would like.

Recipe hints & tips

• Don’t overpower the delicate flavour of courgette! This pasta recipe should taste light, Summer in a bowl, with not one flavour dominating the others in the dish. For example, too much lemon juice will take over. Therefore only add the juice of half a lemon to start with. Then if you feel like you want to add more then do so.
• Courgette also gets bad press for being sloppy, not so in this dish. If you grate the courgette and cook it quickly it softens, but retains lots of its lovely flavour.
• Parmesan cheese is optional in this zucchini pasta recipe. If I add it at all it is only a small amount of finely grated Parmesan. This cheese is really strong and can simply overpower the rest of the simply flavours. I like the freshness of the courgette, lemon, garlic and basil to shine in this dish.
• For gluten free diners use a gluten free pasta.
• Allergy advice: dairy free, egg free, soya free and nut free. For comprehensive and detailed allergy advice go to Allergy UK.

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Additional recipe suggestions

If you like this recipe try some of my favorite vegetable based recipes:

• Mediterranean Vegetable Bake
• Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce
• Easy Refried Beans
• Courgette Fritters
• Tomato Risotto
• Spinach Omelette
• Bulgur Wheat & Asparagus Risotto
• Pumpkin Gnocchi
• Pumpkin Pasta with Brown Butter Sauce

For more more inspiration on feeding the family take a look at my Ultimate Guide to Family Dining. This guide is full if hints, tips and recipe ideas.