Thank goodness for seasonal produce! This Lemon Vegetable Pasta is a fresh yet hearty meal that uses most of nature’s bounty.
Farmer’s market? Is that you? My favorite time of year is finally here and I can’t wait to get my hands on all of the fresh produce! I was recently simultaneously craving pasta and a ton of veggies, so I just had to make this Lemon Vegetable Pasta for both of our sake.
I recently had an influx of produce from a VERY exciting project I’m working on, and this combo had me drooling puddles around the kitchen. For a split second, I considered using the perfect zucchini in my crisper to do a spiralized recipe, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a good zoodle as much as the next guy. I mean heck, my Million Dollar Zoodle Baked Spaghetti is literally the number one recipe on my site, but sometimes you just need real pasta in your life, ya know?
Instead, I chose to pair it with fettuccini and bright lemony Alfredoesque sauce. Throw some yellow bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, and fresh herbs into the equation and you’ve got a pretty stellar dinner on your hands if you ask me.
Do you prefer cold pasta over hot? Try my Spring Pasta Salad with Basil Vinaigrette for another fresh take on seasonal veggies and pasta!
Lemon Vegetable Pasta
Ingredients
- 4 ounces linguine pasta
- 1/2 stick unsalted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, julienned
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- zest of 1/2 lemon
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons reserved pasta water
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Basil and flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions, reserving 3 tbsp of the pasta liquid.
- While the pasta is cooking, prepare the vegetable and the sauce. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally for 2 minutes until the garlic is softened and fragrant. Add the zucchini and bell pepper to the pan and cook until slightly softened about 5 mins. Add in the cherry tomatoes.
- Stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, heavy cream, and reserved pasta liquid. Allow the mixture to simmer for 2 minutes
- Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the skillet; stir to combine. Cook for an additional minute to allow the pasta to soak up the sauce. Stir in Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper.
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow the pasta to sit for 5 minutes to thicken. Serve with extra Parmesan cheese, if desired and garnish with basil and pasta.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 468Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 88mgSodium: 778mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 4gSugar: 4gProtein: 11g
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Tammy
Thursday 13th of August 2020
Hello! Looks great but where / when do you put cherry tomato in?
Paige
Friday 14th of August 2020
Thanks, Tammy! I edited the post, but you'll add it after the zucchini and bell peppers have softened before you add the sauce ingredients. Hope that helps!
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Choice Furniture Superstore
Wednesday 18th of April 2018
I just love this spring lemon vegetable pasta. This looks very delicious. Thanks for sharing its recipe.
Paige
Thursday 19th of April 2018
You're very welcome. I hope you enjoy!