Pasta with Zucchini, Lemon, and Mint Cream
Pasta with Zucchini, Lemon, and Mint Cream
Ingredients
- 320 g pasta, your choice, such as paccheri or mezze maniche
- 300 g zucchini
- 100 g cream cheese
- 20 g lemon juice, about 1/2 lemon
- 5 mint leaves
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
- as needed water, for blending and cooking pasta
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the zucchini: Wash the zucchini, trim the ends, then cut into rounds and then into small cubes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Cook the zucchini: In a pan, pour a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Add the cubed zucchini and sauté over medium heat until tender and lightly golden.
⏱️ 7 min
- 3
Prepare the cream base: Transfer the cooked zucchini to a tall, narrow container suitable for an immersion blender. Season with salt and pepper. Add the mint leaves and lemon juice. Pour in a little water (about 50-80 ml) to facilitate blending.
⏱️ 3 min
- 4
Blend the sauce: Use an immersion blender to blend the mixture until a smooth and homogeneous cream is obtained.
⏱️ 2 min
- 5
Add the cheese and blend again: Add the cream cheese to the zucchini cream. Blend again with the immersion blender until the sauce is creamy and all ingredients are well combined.
⏱️ 2 min
- 6
Cook the pasta: Meanwhile, cook the pasta in plenty of salted water according to package directions. Before draining, reserve one cup of the pasta cooking water.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 100
- 7
Combine pasta and sauce: Drain the pasta and transfer it directly to the pan where you cooked the zucchini (or a large pan). Pour the zucchini cream over the pasta. If necessary, add some of the pasta cooking water to emulsify and make the sauce more fluid.
⏱️ 3 min
- 8
Toss and serve: Mix the pasta and sauce in the pan until the pasta is evenly coated and the sauce has reached the desired consistency. Serve the pasta in a bowl, adding an extra spoonful of sauce if desired. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.
⏱️ 3 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Pasta with Zucchini, Lemon, and Mint Cream
- 320 g pasta, your choice, such as paccheri or mezze maniche
- 300 g zucchini
- 100 g cream cheese
- 20 g lemon juice, about 1/2 lemon
- 5 mint leaves
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
- as needed water, for blending and cooking pasta
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the zucchini: Wash the zucchini, trim the ends, then cut into rounds and then into small cubes.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Cook the zucchini: In a pan, pour a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Add the cubed zucchini and sauté over medium heat until tender and lightly golden.
⏱️ 7 min - 3
Prepare the cream base: Transfer the cooked zucchini to a tall, narrow container suitable for an immersion blender. Season with salt and pepper. Add the mint leaves and lemon juice. Pour in a little water (about 50-80 ml) to facilitate blending.
⏱️ 3 min - 4
Blend the sauce: Use an immersion blender to blend the mixture until a smooth and homogeneous cream is obtained.
⏱️ 2 min - 5
Add the cheese and blend again: Add the cream cheese to the zucchini cream. Blend again with the immersion blender until the sauce is creamy and all ingredients are well combined.
⏱️ 2 min - 6
Cook the pasta: Meanwhile, cook the pasta in plenty of salted water according to package directions. Before draining, reserve one cup of the pasta cooking water.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 100 - 7
Combine pasta and sauce: Drain the pasta and transfer it directly to the pan where you cooked the zucchini (or a large pan). Pour the zucchini cream over the pasta. If necessary, add some of the pasta cooking water to emulsify and make the sauce more fluid.
⏱️ 3 min - 8
Toss and serve: Mix the pasta and sauce in the pan until the pasta is evenly coated and the sauce has reached the desired consistency. Serve the pasta in a bowl, adding an extra spoonful of sauce if desired. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.
⏱️ 3 min