This easy and creamy Jamie Oliver Courgette Pasta is a quick and nutritious meal perfect for busy days. Made with fresh courgettes, garlic, and two types of cheese, it’s a simple, satisfying dish you can adapt with whatever pasta or herbs you have on hand. Ideal for a comforting dinner!
Ingredients Needed
- 2 courgettes (zucchini)
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 3 sprigs of fresh basil
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- Olive oil
- 1 big pinch dried chilli flakes (red pepper flakes)
- 150g (5.3 oz) dried pasta (conchiglie, penne, or rigatoni)
- 25g (1 oz) Parmesan cheese
- 50g (1.8 oz) ricotta cheese
- Sea salt and black pepper
How To Make Courgette Pasta
- Slice courgettes: Slice 2 in half lengthways, then into ½cm (¼ inch) pieces. Peel and finely slice 2 garlic cloves. Pick and finely slice the leaves and stalks of 3 basil sprigs.
- Toast pine nuts: Toast 2 tbsp of pine nuts in a large, dry frying pan over medium heat until lightly golden, tossing occasionally.
- Cook garlic and spices: Add good olive oil, garlic, basil stalks, and a pinch of chilli flakes. Cook for 1 minute or until golden.
- Add courgettes: Stir in the courgettes, season with sea salt and black pepper, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 25–30 minutes until creamy.
- Cook pasta: With 10 minutes remaining, cook 150g (5.3 oz) of pasta according to packet instructions. Drain, reserving a mug of cooking water.
- Combine: Toss the cooked pasta with the creamy courgette mixture.
- Add cheese: Finely grate 25g (1 oz) Parmesan and crumble in 50g (1.8 oz) ricotta. Loosen the sauce with a little reserved pasta water to achieve a creamy consistency.
- Serve: Taste and adjust the seasoning. Tear over basil leaves and serve immediately.
Recipe Tips
- Use firm courgettes: Make sure the courgettes are fresh and firm for the best texture when cooked. Overripe courgettes can become too mushy.
- Don’t skip toasting the pine nuts: Toasting the pine nuts brings out their nutty flavor and adds a lovely crunch to the dish.
- Control the heat when cooking courgettes: Keep the heat low when cooking the courgettes to prevent them from burning and to help them become creamy.
- Reserve pasta water: Always save a mug of pasta cooking water. It helps loosen the sauce and makes it creamy without adding extra oil.
How To Store And Reheat Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: Let the leftover courgette pasta cool to room temperature. Once cooled, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Reheat: Reheat in a pan over low heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water or reserved pasta cooking water to loosen the sauce as it warms.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1 cup or 200g)
- Calories: 503
- Total Fat: 20.6g
- Saturated Fat: 5.7g
- Total Carbohydrate: 61.7g
- Dietary Fiber: 4.4g
- Sugars: 7g
- Protein: 21.4g
Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:
- Jamie Oliver Butternut Squash Pasta
- Jamie Oliver Sausage Fennel Pasta
- Jamie Oliver Cheesy Cauliflower Pasta
- Jamie Oliver Anchovy Pasta
Jamie Oliver Courgette Pasta
Description
This easy and creamy Jamie Oliver Courgette Pasta is a quick and nutritious meal perfect for busy days. Made with fresh courgettes, garlic, and two types of cheese, it’s a simple, satisfying dish you can adapt with whatever pasta or herbs you have on hand. Ideal for a comforting dinner!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Slice courgettes: Slice 2 in half lengthways, then into ½cm (¼ inch) pieces. Peel and finely slice 2 garlic cloves. Pick and finely slice the leaves and stalks of 3 basil sprigs.
- Toast pine nuts: Toast 2 tbsp of pine nuts in a large, dry frying pan over medium heat until lightly golden, tossing occasionally.
- Cook garlic and spices: Add good olive oil, garlic, basil stalks, and a pinch of chilli flakes. Cook for 1 minute or until golden.
- Add courgettes: Stir in the courgettes, season with sea salt and black pepper, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 25–30 minutes until creamy.
- Cook pasta: With 10 minutes remaining, cook 150g (5.3 oz) of pasta according to packet instructions. Drain, reserving a mug of cooking water.
- Combine: Toss the cooked pasta with the creamy courgette mixture.
- Add cheese: Finely grate 25g (1 oz) Parmesan and crumble in 50g (1.8 oz) ricotta. Loosen the sauce with a little reserved pasta water to achieve a creamy consistency.
- Serve: Taste and adjust the seasoning. Tear over basil leaves and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use firm courgettes: Make sure the courgettes are fresh and firm for the best texture when cooked. Overripe courgettes can become too mushy.
- Don’t skip toasting the pine nuts: Toasting the pine nuts brings out their nutty flavor and adds a lovely crunch to the dish.
- Control the heat when cooking courgettes: Keep the heat low when cooking the courgettes to prevent them from burning and to help them become creamy.
- Reserve pasta water: Always save a mug of pasta cooking water. It helps loosen the sauce and makes it creamy without adding extra oil.
Jamie Oliver Courgette Pasta