Zucchini LInguine with Lemon, Feta, & Mint
If you're looking for a fast and simple weeknight dinner you can throw together in just 20 minutes, look no further than my Zucchini Linguine with Lemon, Feta, & Mint. This 8-Ingredient summer pasta dish is bright, beautiful, and packed with healthy veggies, perfect for showcasing the best of summer — all without having to turn on the oven or brave the outdoors. 🙌
Ingredients
- 1 lb Fettuccine
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1.5 lb Summer Squash e.g. Zucchini, Crookneck, Pattypan, Cousa, Zephyr, etc.
- 6 cloves Garlic minced
- ¼ C Fresh Mint chiffonade
- 4 oz Feta Crumbles
- ½ Lemon approx. ½ teaspoon zest and 1 Tablespoon juice
- ½-1 C Pasta Cooking Water
- Kosher Salt and Fresh Cracked Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Water should taste like the sea before adding pasta.Add pasta and cook according to package directions.Save 1 C pasta cooking water before draining pasta.
- While water is coming to a boil, prep your squash. Cut into roughly quarter-sized pieces.
- In a sautee pan, heat olive oil until shimmering. Add squash and sprinkle with salt to encourage sweating. Cook until desired doneness, preferably al dente with a bit of golden crust. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute.
- Add cooked pasta to sautee pan with about ½ C pasta water and toss to mix. Add ¾ feta, ¾ mint, and lemon juice/zest (if using). Continue to toss until mixed, adding pasta water as needed to result in a glossy, slippery sauce.
- Plate pasta, finishing with remaining mint and feta for a little pop on the plate. Enjoy!
Notes
- Salt your pasta water GENEROUSLY. In this case, it should taste like seawater before you plop your pasta in.
- Skip the colander. I like to push my zucchini cooking skillet and pasta cooking pot close together, then use tongs to drag the cooked noodles and some of the pasta water into the veggie pan.
- Don’t toss your pasta water. Scoop out about a cup of pasta water and save it. That starchy liquid turns the olive oil and garlic into a beautiful, glossy sauce. If you have leftover pasta, it’s also great to keep some of the pasta water in a separate container — adding it when you reheat your leftovers helps to revivify the sauce perfectly.
- Save your spent lemon rinds and mint stems to make a pitcher of deliciously free spa water to help keep you hydrated in style.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container (preferably with a separate container of leftover pasta water) for up to a week. To reheat, zap in the microwave or heat on the stovetop, adding a splash of pasta water as needed to revive the sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 408kcalCarbohydrates: 61gProtein: 15gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.05gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 235mgPotassium: 528mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 435IUVitamin C: 26mgCalcium: 149mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!