Lemony Pasta With Zucchini and Fresh Herbs
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1pound fusilli or other short curvy pasta
- 1½pounds zucchini or other summer squash, or a combination, halved lengthwise and cut into ½- inch thick pieces
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 4tablespoons olive oil
- 2garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- ½teaspoon red-pepper flakes
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- ½cup grated Pecorino or grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1½cups roughly chopped herbs, such as mint, basil, chervil, Italian parsley, plus more for garnish
- Flaky salt, for serving (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
440 calories; 14 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 64 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 16 grams protein; 561 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Bring a large pot of well-salted water (2 heaping tablespoons kosher salt to about 7 quarts water) to a boil. Add pasta and cook until it is just under al dente, 1 minute less than package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, prepare the zucchini or other squash: Season chunks with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the squash in one layer (you may need to do this in two batches) and cook undisturbed until it begins to turn golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from the pan and set aside. Taste and season again, if necessary.
- Step 3
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook until the garlic becomes translucent, about 30 seconds. Add the squash back to the pan along with the lemon juice and half the lemon zest. Toss to combine.
- Step 4
Add the pasta to the skillet, and toss to combine. Add ½ cup of the pasta water and the grated cheese, and toss until the cheese emulsifies and is silky. If needed, add an additional ¼ cup pasta water or more to loosen. Add the fresh herbs and toss again. Top with additional herbs and the remaining lemon zest. Serve in bowls, and pass grated cheese at the table. Season with flaky salt, if desired.
Private Notes
Comments
Many cooking info sources are recommending cooking pasta in less water. (Serious Eats) This results in starchier pasta water. For me, this has helped in emulsifying better and easier. Hope this helps.
Followed the recipe exactly. It’s a light, delicious summer dish. Next time I’d add more garlic.
Easy and delicious. I added a little more garlic, shredded chicken breast (my husband likes protein w/ his pasta ;-), and halved kalamata olives. Made for a perfect summer dinner and lunch the following day.
I sautéed shrimp with the garlic and red pepper. Works well
I made this as written and found it to be bland, under-seasoned and overheated. Zucchini needs more than is called for here to have the flavor profile that I think it should have. The 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes added waaaay too much heat and made it almost inedible in the end. If I made it again I'd season and roast the zucchini separately and change the seasoning mix of the herbed pasta.
This was good but not amazing, possibly because my zucchini was a giant one from a friend’s garden. Agree it could use a little more garlic. Make sure all your ingredients are prepped because it comes together quickly at the end.