This courgette lemon pasta is a delicious, simple dish with just 6 ingredients. It is fresh tasting and perfect as an easy, low effort midweek meal. I made my courgette lemon pasta using tagliatelle pasta, but it would be just as delicious with spaghetti, linguine or pappardelle.
Courgette lemon pasta: ingredients
This courgette lemon pasta is super simple and only contains 6 ingredients:
- Dried pasta
- Courgette
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Garlic
- Chilli
- Lemon
Courgette and lemon pasta sauce
This pasta is very similar to ‘pasta aglio e olio’. Pasta aglio e olio has sauce is made of garlic, chilli, oil and pasta water. I have, however, added lemon and courgette to the recipe to give the dish extra flavour, texture and substance.
Does courgette taste good in pasta?
Courgette is not an overly flavourful vegetable and, therefore, it goes well with pretty much everything. It is also nutrient-dense, making courgette is a great addition to any meal. I thinly sliced and roasted the courgettes as this brings out their sweetness and is a delicious way to enjoy them.
Can you overcook courgette?
When roasting, courgette is very easy to overcook and burn. I roast my courgette slices for 25 minutes. If, after 15-20 minutes, some of the slices are starting to brown then remove them from the oven. Set aside whilst the other slices continue cooking.
Which pasta to use in lemon courgette pasta?
I used tagliatelle pasta in my dish. A thick, flat-shaped pasta is good for getting a high sauce to pasta ratio. However, if you want to make lemon courgette linguine or lemon courgette spaghetti these pasta shapes would be delicious too.
Vegan lemon and courgette pasta
This pasta is already vegan if you can find a vegan pasta to use. Most pasta in the supermarket is made of durum wheat semolina. Eggs are sometimes used by the more expensive pasta brands. Check the labels if you want to ensure your dish to be vegan.
For extra flavour top the pasta with vegetarian parmesan cheese. You could also try it with dairy free vegan grated parmesan from Nurish.
Is courgette lemon pasta healthy?
This dish includes 3 main ingredients which are surprisingly nutrient-dense.
Firstly, extra virgin olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is a staple ingredient in the Mediterranean diet and it has several health benefits. It has been used as a health tonic for years. It is considered a major reason for the longevity of Greek islanders, the Spanish and Italians.
Furthermore, medical research studies show that high olive oil consumption as part of a Mediterranean diet is linked to lower rates of heart disease, strokes and diabetes.
Secondly, this dish has a lot of garlic in it. Garlic is high in inulin and medical studies show that it can ward off viral infections. Other studies also suggest that garlic may protect against some cancers and lower blood fat levels.
Thirdly, courgette. Courgette is high in potassium which is vital for good muscle function. They are also nutrient dense and high in fibre which aids healthy digestion.
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Courgette Lemon Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 courgette
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 180g/6oz tagliatelle or linguine, spaghetti or pappardelle
- 3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
- 1 red chilli seeds removed, finely sliced
- 1/2 lemon juice and zest
Instructions
- Set the oven to 200°C/180°C fan (400°F/350°F). Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Finely slice the courgette into 2-3mm slices. Place them in a bowl with 2 tbsp of the olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt. Toss to combine.
- Lay the courgette slices in a single layer on the baking tray. Bake for for 15 minutes, flip and bake for a further 10 minutes. If you see any of the slices turning brown remove them from the oven and set aside.
- Meanwhile bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. 10 minutes before the courgettes finish cooking put the pasta into the boiling water.
- In a large frying pan and heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Once hot add in the garlic and lower the heat to medium-low. Cook for 2 minutes but do not let the garlic burn.
- Take the garlic off the heat and stir through the chilli. Once the pasta is al dente drain it and reserve a cup of the pasta water. Add the pasta to the frying pan along with the lemon zest, a splash of pasta water and courgette slices. Stir vigorously to coat.
- Serve immediately with a squeeze of lemon juice. If you like, add some freshly ground black pepper, fresh parsley, and some freshly grated cheese.
Fresh and simple, loved it