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    Eat Love Eat » Lunch

    Simple Lemon, Basil and Courgette Pasta

    Published: Jul 3, 2016, Last Modified: April 2, 2022, By Sasha Hooper · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    A bowl with pasta in served with parmesan shavings and a fork.

    Hey there! It feels like it's been ages since my last post. In reality, it's been a week but hey - a lot can happen in a week! I feel completely out of touch since we went away for a few days. That time away was great, but being away from home sends me all out of sync. Do you know what I mean? For example, I'm somebody who has no trouble sleeping and yet, the three nights I spent away from my own bed, I could barely sleep. And for somebody who has no trouble sleeping, that has quite a knock-on effect. I've just been feeling a little more tired that normal this past couple of days. No big deal, just got to accept it and move on. And of course, I'm super grateful that I got to spend a few days away with my husband. It's so fun to be somewhere different for a while. We had a couple of days exploring the beautiful Cotswolds and eating some delicious food - there is a huge focus on local, seasonal produce in that area of the country, the kind of enthusiasm for food that I only wish I could find in our area. We also stopped by the huge Whole Foods Market in Cheltenham. I think I could live there. We consumed So. Much. Food. (it was awesome).

    Close up of creamy pasta with a wooden spatula.

    Now onto this pasta. My husband isn't a huge fan of pasta - in fact we eat very little of it in our house. He finds it 'boring'. So, when I tell you that he eagerly scarfed a big bowl of this and then requested that we have it again soon after, you know it's going to be good. This is good, simple food. Sometimes simple, quick food is just what the doctor ordered. As a food blogger, I'm constantly balancing the desire to come up with creative recipe ideas, with the urge to just eat food. Sometimes, I just want something like a bowl of pasta, especially after a few tiring days. This dish was never meant to be for the blog, it was just a throw-it-together dinner recipe on a whim. Aren't those just the best kind of recipes sometimes? If you like that you'll love this Creamy Chicken Pasta Bake.

    This Simple Lemon, Basil and Courgette Pasta comes together in no time. The most strenuous part of this recipe is the grating of the courgette (zucchini - I actually prefer the word zucchini but I'm so used to saying courgette so...) which really isn't that strenuous at all! Then simply boil some pasta (and if you use fresh pasta it'll be super speedy!) and then make the sauce which takes about 5 minutes. Less, probably! Butter, garlic and lemon zest mingle together before you add the courgette/zucchini and toss for about 30 seconds as it barely needs any cooking. Finish with the final goodies - lemon juice, fresh basil, mascarpone (favourite!) and a sprinkling of grated parmesan and you're done! Now you can sit down and devour it. And bonus - not much washing up either! This is perfect long-day-at-work or post-holiday food. If you can spare the extra effort, then you should definitely toast up some breadcrumbs in butter to sprinkle on the top - just toast them in the same frying pan before you start the sauce. Easy. And so so delicious.

    A bowl of zucchini pasta with a fork on top of a checked napkin.

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    A bowl with pasta in served with parmesan shavings and a fork.

    Simple Lemon, Basil and Courgette Pasta

    A fresh and vibrant lemon, basil and zucchini pasta dish that is quick and easy to whip together!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe ⭐️ Rate Recipe
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    0 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 2
    Author: Sasha Hooper

    Ingredients 

    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 1 clove garlic, finely grated
    • finely grated zest of 1 lemon + juice of ½
    • 1 courgette, coarsely grated
    • 125 g mascarpone, (½ cup)
    • 15 g parmesan, (¼ cup) finely grated
    • ½ cup basil leaves, finely sliced
    • 250 g pasta of your choice, I used fresh gemelli - strozzapreti would also be good!
    • salt and pepper
    • 60 ml pasta cooking water, (¼ cup)
    • toasted breadcrumbs, optional, but highly recommended, to top
    • shaved parmesan, to top

    Instructions

    • Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions.
      250 g pasta of your choice
    • In a frying pan, heat the butter over a gentle heat. Add the garlic and the lemon zest and let sizzle in the pan for a few seconds. Add the courgette to the pan and quickly toss in the butter - you don't want to overcook it!
      1 tablespoon butter, 1 clove garlic, finely grated zest of 1 lemon + juice of ½, 1 courgette
    • Stir in the mascarpone, parmesan, lemon juice and basil until combined.
      finely grated zest of 1 lemon + juice of ½, 125 g mascarpone, 15 g parmesan, ½ cup basil leaves
    • Drain the pasta, reserving ¼ cup of the cooking water. Tip the drained pasta into the sauce and toss to coat. Add as much of the reserved pasta water as desired until the pasta is well-coated and saucy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
      60 ml pasta cooking water, salt and pepper
    • If liked, toast some breadcrumbs in butter (1 tablespoon butter to ½ cup breadcrumbs) and sprinkle over the top of the pasta. Finish with shaved parmesan.
      toasted breadcrumbs, shaved parmesan
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Nutrition

    Calories: 783kcal | Carbohydrates: 82.6g | Protein: 22.7g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 24.9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 191.8mg | Sodium: 1522.6mg | Potassium: 328.2mg | Fiber: 1.2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 106.9IU | Vitamin C: 8.1mg | Calcium: 281mg | Iron: 5.3mg
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Italian
    Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment below with how you got on and don't forget to give the recipe a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. You can also tag @eatloveeats on Instagram - we love to see your creations!
    A plate of food, with Pasta and Zucchini
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Marie says

      October 22, 2021 at 1:56 pm

      5 stars
      This pasta was so quick to make and sooo tasty! Thank you!

      Reply
    2. All Thyme Favourites says

      August 11, 2016 at 7:30 pm

      Wow, firstly I'm loving the photography. So fresh and inviting! And secondly, I LOVE that you've used breadcrumbs to top this dish. It's something I saw a couple of years ago and haven't turned back since - adds a great texture and flavour. I agree, it's HIGHLY recommended.

      Great stuff! 🙂

      Reply
      • Sasha says

        August 11, 2016 at 9:01 pm

        Thank you! So happy you like the photographs 🙂 and the breadcrumbs just make the dish, don't they?! Thanks for stopping by 🙂

        Reply
    3. Nicoletta @sugarlovespices says

      July 12, 2016 at 12:06 am

      Love this pasta, Sasha, and we eat pasta a lot 😉 . The flavors are so well balanced and good together, and the gemelli are great choice. Pinned it in my Pasta Recipes. Glad you had a nice time away with your husband, we're leaving on friday for a few days vacation, too!

      Reply
      • Sasha says

        July 12, 2016 at 9:19 am

        Thank you Nicoletta! That's quite a compliment coming from an Italian! Enjoy your vacation, hope you're going somewhere lovely 🙂

        Reply
    4. Michelle @ The Last Food Blog says

      July 09, 2016 at 11:42 am

      I love simple comfort food like this, so satisfying and tasty. I hope you've caught up with the lost sleep 😉

      Reply
      • Sasha says

        July 09, 2016 at 6:10 pm

        Definitely - perfect for lazy evenings after getting no sleep! x

        Reply
    5. Hana | Nirvana Cakery says

      July 08, 2016 at 8:39 pm

      Hi Sasha, looks like you've had a fantastic time. Cotswolds is so beautiful, perfect for some romance:) Welcome back! My son and my husband would love this pasta recipe. xx

      Reply
      • Sasha says

        July 09, 2016 at 6:11 pm

        Thanks Hana! We certainly did have a lovely time 🙂 x

        Reply

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    Hi there, I’m Sasha and I’m excited that you’re here! At Eat Love Eat, I work with my husband Jacob to create modern and approachable recipes that highlight the magic in simplicity; it’s our passion.

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