Indulge in a culinary journey with our delectable pasta recipes, featuring the vibrant flavors of zucchini, tangy feta cheese, and the unique zest of fried lemon. Embark on a delightful adventure as you explore three distinct pasta dishes, each offering a symphony of textures and flavors. Discover the simplicity yet elegance of Pasta with Zucchini, Feta, and Fried Lemon, where fresh zucchini and creamy feta cheese harmoniously unite, complemented by the crispy, citrusy burst of fried lemon. Dive into the vibrant world of Pasta with Zucchini, Feta, and Crispy Lemon Breadcrumbs, where golden breadcrumbs add a delightful crunch to the tender zucchini and tangy feta. And for a taste of the Mediterranean, savor our Pasta with Zucchini, Feta, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes, where sun-kissed tomatoes infuse a burst of umami, creating a tantalizing harmony of flavors.
Here are our top 8 tried and tested recipes!
LEMONY SPAGHETTI AND ZUCCHINI
Spaghetti feels light and fresh when tossed with noodle-thin zucchini and lemon.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Time 35m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions; drain, reserving 1 cup cooking water.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini noodles, lemon zest, red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, tossing gently with tongs, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the pasta and reserved cooking water and toss to combine. Stir in the lemon juice and Parmesan. Season with salt.
- Transfer the spaghetti to a serving bowl. Top with more Parmesan and red pepper flakes and serve with lemon wedges.
SPAGHETTI WITH LEMON AND ZUCCHINI
Provided by Giada De Laurentiis
Categories main-dish
Time 40m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Season it generously with salt. Add the sliced lemons and blanch for 30 seconds. Using tongs, remove the lemons to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Dry well.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and heat another 30 seconds. Add the shallots and garlic to the skillet and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until fragrant and beginning to brown slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the capers, anchovy paste, red pepper flakes and the blanched lemon slices and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon to dissolve the anchovy paste and brown the lemons, for another 2 minutes. Add the zucchini and remaining teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until parts of the zucchini turn deep brown while some parts remain al dente, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes less than package directions, about 8 minutes. Add 1/3 cup pasta water to the skillet with the zucchini and stir to deglaze. Use a pair of tongs to remove the pasta directly to the skillet. Sprinkle the bare pasta with the Parmesan and toss well to coat the pasta with the zucchini sauce. (Some of the zucchini should have gotten rather soft, which helps to create a silky sauce.) Add another 1/2 cup pasta water if needed to maintain the sauce. Top the pasta with the herbs and feta and serve.
PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI, FETA AND FRIED LEMON
This is a less saucy, more pasta-salad-like pasta, which is to say it's best served at room temperature after being carted to an outdoor location and eaten directly from the container. The zucchini mixture should be deeply flavorful and concentrated, rather than loose or watery. If you're looking for something saucier, add more olive oil (not pasta water) as needed to coat each piece of pasta before serving.
Provided by Alison Roman
Categories dinner, lunch, weekday, pastas, main course
Time 35m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and rinse pasta with cool water to stop cooking and toss with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking; set aside.
- Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add walnuts, if using, and toss to coat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until walnuts are toasted and golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or strainer, transfer the walnuts to a small bowl (leaving the oil behind) and season with salt; set aside.
- Add shallots and lemon to the oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until both the shallots and lemons are totally softened and have begun to caramelize, 5 to 8 minutes. Add capers and stir to coat in the oil, letting them sizzle a minute or two.
- Add zucchini and season with salt and pepper. (Do not be alarmed at the amount of zucchini in the skillet; it will cook down by about half.) Cook, stirring occasionally, until much of the water has evaporated from the zucchini and it has totally softened, become translucent and is beginning to brown at the edges, 10 to 15 minutes. (This mixture should be very flavorful and lightly saucy.)
- Remove pan from heat and add pasta, tossing to coat. (If your skillet is very full, you can always transfer everything to a large bowl and toss to coat there.) Season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer pasta to a large serving bowl and top with toasted walnuts, feta and herbs, finishing with a drizzle of olive oil.
BRAISED EGGS WITH ZUCCHINI, FETA AND LEMON
This dish is a celebration of zucchini, and it can be served any time of the day, really, either on its own or with some good bread to dip into the runny yolks. Although the zucchini blossoms make this look particularly bright and festive, the recipe would work just fine without them. If your zucchini blossoms come with stems or small zucchini attached, simply slice them up and slow-cook them with the rest of the sliced zucchini.
Provided by Yotam Ottolenghi
Categories main course
Time 35m
Yield 3 servings
Number Of Ingredients 14
Steps:
- Take one lemon and use a vegetable peeler to remove 4 strips of zest. Squeeze the lemon to get 1 tablespoon juice, then set aside.
- Add the oil, garlic, chopped red chile pepper, lemon zest strips and 3/4 teaspoon salt to a large, preferably nonstick sauté pan (for which you have a lid) set over medium heat. Gently fry for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until the oil begins to bubble. (Turn the heat down to medium-low if the oil bubbles too quickly.) Decrease the heat to low, add the zucchini slices (not the blossoms) and continue to cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until the zucchini slices are very tender and beginning to brown. Stir in the chard and cook for another few minutes, until wilted.
- Drain the zucchini and chard over a saucepan to collect the oil, then return the vegetables to the sauté pan. Stir in the herbs, reserved lemon juice and feta. Create 6 hollows with the back of a spoon and carefully break an egg into each hollow (take care not to break the yolks). Lay the zucchini blossoms around the eggs and drizzle them with a teaspoon of the reserved frying oil. Cover the pan with the lid and cook for 4 to 5 minutes over medium-high heat, until the whites are almost set and the yolks are still runny (the eggs will continue cooking once uncovered and taken off the heat).
- While the eggs cook, add the butter to the reserved oil and gently heat until beginning to brown and bubble, then drizzle over the eggs when they're done. Sprinkle with the Aleppo chile and a good pinch of salt and serve hot with juice from the remaining lemon squeezed on top.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 449, UnsaturatedFat 25 grams, Carbohydrate 16 grams, Fat 37 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 17 grams, SaturatedFat 10 grams, Sodium 976 milligrams, Sugar 8 grams, TransFat 0 grams
PASTA WITH FRIED LEMONS AND CHILE FLAKES
You probably already have a favorite pantry pasta dish that you habitually whip up when there's nothing in the house for dinner. Next time, try this one instead. It has all the usual players - olive oil, Parmesan, flaky sea salt - along with fried lemons for brightness and chile flakes for heat. Don't skip the step of blanching the lemon slices before frying. It may seem fussy, but it eliminates any bitterness in the lemon pith and takes only a few extra minutes. Then dry the lemon slices well before adding them to the hot oil; this helps them brown more deeply.
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories dinner, lunch, quick, weekday, weeknight, pastas, main course
Time 30m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Finely zest 2 of the lemons and set aside. Trim the tops and bottoms off the other 2 lemons and cut lengthwise into quarters; remove seeds. Thinly slice the quarters crosswise into triangles. Blanch the lemon pieces in the boiling water for 2 minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon to a dish towel. Blot dry.
- In the boiling water, add pasta and cook until just barely al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over high heat. Add the dried lemon pieces and season with a pinch each of salt and sugar. Cook until the lemons are caramelized and browned at the edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Melt the butter with the remaining oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the chile flakes and zest of both lemons; cook until fragrant. Whisk in the reserved pasta water.
- Toss in pasta, juice of 1 lemon, cheese, pepper and the remaining salt. Cook until pasta is well coated with sauce. Toss in the caramelized lemon and the celery leaves and parsley if using. Taste and add lemon juice if needed. Serve, topped with a drizzle of oil, more cheese if you like, and a sprinkle of sea salt.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 394, UnsaturatedFat 3 grams, Carbohydrate 61 grams, Fat 10 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 15 grams, SaturatedFat 6 grams, Sodium 313 milligrams, Sugar 3 grams, TransFat 0 grams
LEMONY PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI AND FRESH HERBS
This simple pasta comes together quickly and makes use of what can sometimes be an overwhelming bumper crop of zucchini and other summer squash come August. Browning the squash in two batches is the only semi-fussy request, and it pays off by giving the squash an almost crunchy texture. Lemon and an abundance of fresh herbs provide brightness to this soon-to-be summer staple. Serve it with a tomato and onion salad dressed with plenty of grassy olive oil.
Provided by Colu Henry
Categories dinner, lunch, weekday, weeknight, pastas, main course
Time 30m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water (2 heaping tablespoons kosher salt to about 7 quarts water) to a boil. Add pasta and cook until it is just under al dente, 1 minute less than package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Meanwhile, prepare the zucchini or other squash: Season chunks with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the squash in one layer (you may need to do this in two batches) and cook undisturbed until it begins to turn golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from the pan and set aside. Taste and season again, if necessary.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook until the garlic becomes translucent, about 30 seconds. Add the squash back to the pan along with the lemon juice and half the lemon zest. Toss to combine.
- Add the pasta to the skillet, and toss to combine. Add 1/2 cup of the pasta water and the grated cheese, and toss until the cheese emulsifies and is silky. If needed, add an additional 1/4 cup pasta water or more to loosen. Add the fresh herbs and toss again. Top with additional herbs and the remaining lemon zest. Serve in bowls, and pass grated cheese at the table. Season with flaky salt, if desired.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 421, UnsaturatedFat 9 grams, Carbohydrate 62 grams, Fat 13 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 15 grams, SaturatedFat 3 grams, Sodium 509 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams
THAT ZUCCHINI SPAGHETTI STANLEY TUCCI LOVES (SPAGHETTI ALLA NERANO)
After listening to Stanley Tucci lose his mind about this pasta and calling it life-changing and one of the best things he's ever eaten, I decided I'd give it a try. The results were amazing and the key to getting the toasted sweet taste of the zucchini was deep-frying it!
Provided by Chef John
Categories Vegetarian Zucchini Main Dishes
Time 8h55m
Yield 2
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Place sunflower oil in a deep fryer and heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Slice zucchini into 1/8-inch rounds.
- Add some zucchini to the hot oil and deep-fry until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a single layer on paper towels to drain and repeat to cook remaining zucchini. Let zucchini cool to room temperature.
- Transfer cooled zucchini to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until it's 2 minutes away from being tender yet firm to the bite, 9 to 10 minutes.
- As you are cooking the spaghetti, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until it starts to release juices, soften, and break down, 3 to 5 minutes. Add a couple splashes of the pasta water to the zucchini, but don't overdo it. Break zucchini into small pieces with the edge of a spoon or spatula. Reduce heat to low and toss in basil and butter; stir until butter melts.
- Grab spaghetti with tongs and transfer it right into the sauce; stir until coated. Mix in Pecorino Romano and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses. Add a final splash of pasta water and adjust salt if needed.
- Serve with more grated cheese and fresh basil.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 1016.2 calories, Carbohydrate 62.5 g, Cholesterol 56.5 mg, Fat 78.1 g, Fiber 8.3 g, Protein 23.3 g, SaturatedFat 19.6 g, Sodium 479.3 mg, Sugar 11.9 g
SPAGHETTI ALLA NERANO (SPAGHETTI WITH FRIED ZUCCHINI)
This regional pasta dish from Naples is super simple and easy.
Provided by luv2cook
Time 1h40m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Place zucchini slices on a plate and let dry for 1 hour.
- Heat 1/2 cup oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini slices in batches and deep fry until brown, 10 to 15 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels and allow to cool. Mash 1/3 of the zucchini.
- Place 3 tablespoons olive oil and garlic cloves in a large saucepan over low heat. Watch carefully and simmer until garlic cloves are a light golden brown and oil is infused with garlic flavor, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in mashed zucchini. Add zucchini slices.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain spaghetti, reserving some cooking water.
- Add spaghetti and provolone cheese to the saucepan. Toss and add hot pasta water until sauce becomes creamy. Mix in basil, season with salt and pepper, and serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 356.8 calories, Carbohydrate 45.2 g, Cholesterol 5.7 mg, Fat 15 g, Fiber 2.8 g, Protein 10.6 g, SaturatedFat 3.2 g, Sodium 84.7 mg, Sugar 3 g
Tips:
- Use a mandoline slicer to evenly slice the zucchini. This will help ensure that the zucchini cooks evenly.
- Don't overcrowd the pan when frying the zucchini. This will prevent the zucchini from getting soggy.
- Cook the zucchini until it is tender but still has a slight crunch. You don't want to overcook the zucchini, or it will become mushy.
- Use a microplane to finely grate the lemon zest. This will help release the lemon's flavor.
- Don't fry the lemon slices for too long. You just want to fry them until they are slightly golden brown and crispy.
- Add the feta cheese and lemon zest to the pasta just before serving. This will help prevent the feta cheese from melting and the lemon zest from losing its flavor.
Conclusion:
This pasta dish is a delicious and easy way to enjoy zucchini, feta cheese, and lemon. The zucchini is tender and flavorful, the feta cheese is salty and creamy, and the lemon adds a bright and refreshing flavor. This dish is perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal or a light lunch.
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