Description
This light and fresh vegetarian pasta is packed with creamy garlic and herb flavors, making it a perfect 20-minute meal for busy weeknights. With tender courgettes, zesty lemon, and Parmesan, it’s both nutritious and delicious!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 300g spaghetti or linguine
- 1kg courgettes, chopped into small cubes
- 200g garlic and herb cream cheese
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 100g Parmesan cheese, grated (or vegetarian alternative)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
-
Cook the courgettes:
- Heat olive oil in a large frying or sauté pan over medium-high heat.
- Add courgettes and cook for 10-15 minutes until softened and slightly charred at the edges.
-
Cook the pasta:
- Boil a pan of well-salted water and cook the spaghetti according to package instructions.
- Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
-
Combine ingredients:
- Return drained pasta to the pan.
- Add cooked courgettes, cream cheese, lemon zest, juice of ½ lemon, Parmesan, and reserved pasta water.
- Stir vigorously until the cheeses are melted and the sauce is creamy and well combined.
-
Adjust seasoning:
- Taste and add more lemon juice if desired.
- Season with salt and black pepper. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For extra protein, add grilled chicken or chickpeas.
- Swap Parmesan for a vegetarian alternative if needed.
- If the sauce is too thick, add a little more pasta water to loosen.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 35mg