This post may contain affiliate links for which I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. For more info please check out my Disclosure Policy. Appreciate your support!
Introducing a Courgette Pasta that is the perfect quick and easy meal for those summer months. With only 5 main ingredients, all of which are fairly inexpensive, this 20-minute dinner is a winner in so many ways!
Recipe Difficulty – Very Easy
Table of Contents
Why this recipe works
Pasta is such a delicious meal all year round. It is incredibly versatile and relatively inexpensive. This lemon courgette pasta is no different! It pops with flavours and is very healthy.
While available year round, peak courgette season is May through August. The fresh flavours in this courgette and lemon pasta go perfectly with summer! And it is very versatile, so you can pop in whatever veg you have lying around.
If you want some more zucchini recipes, try my Courgette Fritters or Creamy Courgette Salad. For more pasta recipes, I’ve got you covered as well! I’ve got everything from an Easy Vegan Spaghetti Carbonara to my 10 Minute Spicy Pasta and so many things in between! It pairs well with this amazing Air Fryer Broccoli recipe.
Ingredients to make Courgette Pasta
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – is used to fry up the ingredients.
- Leek – give a nice slightly sweet flavour to this pasta with courgette. If you have a spare leek then try making my Leek & Potato Soup.
- Small Courgette – is also known as zucchini.
- Lemon – is used for both the zest and the juice.
- Garlic Cloves – give a classic umami flavour to this dish.
- Spaghetti – brown rice is my preferred pasta for this meal as it’s naturally gluten-free. This also works really well with my Sun Dried Tomato Pasta.
- Salt – helps to accentuate the other flavours.
- Pepper – gives a nice kick to this zucchini pasta.
- Chilli Flakes – are great as a garnish so people can adjust the amount to their spice preferences.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions
- Olive Oil – can be replaced with any other neutral oil.
- Leek – Some great substitutes for a leek are onions, chives, shallots, or scallions.
- Brown Rice Spaghetti – You can use any type of pasta here, but spaghetti or linguini are my favourite with it.
Variations
- Spicy – You could add in some red chillies to spice up this pasta with courgette.
- Deluxe – To step this pasta up a notch, try adding some other veg such as roasted tomato, peppers, or peas. You can also top with parm cheese or make it a little creamier with some vegan sour cream, cream cheese, or creme fraiche.
- Kid friendly – This pasta is wonderful for kids! If they refuse to eat courgette, you could swap it for a vegetable they’re more likely to eat. You could also tone down the lemon flavour a bit if needed.
See this Vegetable Curry version of this recipe on my website!
How to make Courgette Pasta
Step 1: Firstly, slice the leek and garlic cloves. Zest the lemon. Slice the courgette in half lengthways and then slice.
Step 2: Heat a large pan on a medium heat. Add the olive oil, leek, courgette, and garlic. Cook for 8 minutes or until the leek and courgette soften. Stir the lemon zest in keeping a pinch to one side for garnishing. Turn down to a low heat.
Step 3: Cook the pasta per package instructions.
Step 4: Once cooked, transfer 60ml of pasta water to the pan. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan along with the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Combine well.
Serve with the remaining lemon zest sprinkled on top along with some chilli flakes. Optionally, drizzle some olive oil on top.
Hint: Make sure to reserve some pasta water for the courgette pasta sauce. It’s starchiness leads to a nice, creamy courgette lemon pasta.
Leftovers
Leftover courgette pasta will keep for 3-5 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave. You may need to add a bit more water to loosen the sauce.
Recipe FAQs
When courgette starts coming ready, it comes in droves! There are so many delicious things to make with it. I have this courgette pasta and a couple recipes where the courgette becomes the noodles! It’s amazing with Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables so if you have a spare one make those!
It depends on the ingredients! My courgette pasta is plant-based and all of the ingredients are naturally vegan. It is full of bold flavours and sure to impress!
Eggplant is a good substitute for courgette. If you don’t need the texture or taste to be the same, peppers, tomatoes, and peas are some other great pasta vegetables.
If you want to add some protein to your courgette pasta, you can add chicken, beef, or bacon. If you want to keep it vegan, you could add some white beans for protein.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE…
Rate it…
Tried this Courgette Pasta recipe? Please leave a star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below and let me know how you get on. Hearing positive feedback is one of the best parts of creating recipes so please review it below and leave a comment!
P.S Never miss a new recipe! Get more healthy recipes sent straight to your inbox weekly – Subscribe and receive a free recipe eBook!
Courgette Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ leek
- 1 small courgette
- 1 lemon
- 3 garlic cloves
- 220 g spaghetti, (I used brown rice, gluten-free)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- Chilli flakes, to garnish
Instructions
- Begin by slicing the leek and garlic cloves. Zest the lemon and slice the courgette in half lengthways then slice.
- Heat a large pan on a medium heat and add the olive oil, sliced leek, courgette and garlic. Combine and cook for 5 minutes until the leek and courgette soften. Stir through the lemon zest keeping a pinch to one side for garnishing. Turn down to a low heat.
- Meanwhile cook the pasta as per packet instructions.
- Once the pasta is cooked transfer 60ml of the pasta water to the other pan, then drain and add the cooked pasta along with the juice from the lemon. Add the salt and pepper and combine well.
- Serve with the remaining lemon zest sprinkled on top, as well as some chilli flakes. Option to drizzle some extra olive oil to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Courgette and leek work so well together. I skipped some ingredients due to allergies. Still a very tasty crowd pleaser from James again