Category: Meals in minutes, Meat Free Monday, Mid Week Meals, Pasta Night
Cooking Method: Fried
Yields:
2 Servings
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 Mins
Cook Time:
20 Mins
Total Time:
30 Mins
A simple yet elegant pasta dish where golden fried courgettes are blended into a silky Parmesan sauce, then tossed with al dente spaghetti and lemon zest. Light, comforting, and bursting with summer flavour — perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or a laid-back date night.
Ingredients
Adjust Servings
Instructions
- Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.
- While the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the courgette rounds in a single layer (you may need to do this in batches) and fry until golden and slightly caramelised, about 3–4 mins per side. Season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer half of the fried courgettes to a blender or food processor with 2 tbsp of the reserved pasta water, the garlic, Parmesan, and a small knob of butter (if using). Blitz until smooth — it should be creamy but pourable. Add a bit more water if needed.
- Return the cooked spaghetti to the pan with the remaining fried courgettes. Pour in the courgette-Parmesan sauce and toss everything together over low heat until well coated and glossy. Add more pasta water if the sauce needs loosening.
- Stir through lemon zest if using, then divide between two bowls. Top with extra Parmesan, enjoy!