Fresh and zingy zucchini pasta sauce coats al dente tubes of bucatini pasta. The sauce is zingy from lemon and has an extra punch from dried chilli flakes and ground cracked pepper.
The simplicity of this recipe is what will initially draw you. Cook your pasta, drain, add ingredients, toss, and serve. Bingo, dinner on a plate in 10-12 minutes. I did say it was simple.
The second drawcard is the fresh and punchy flavour of the zucchini pasta sauce. The fresh being grated zucchini (or my USA friends may know it as courgette), fresh oregano leaves, and tangy lemon juice. The punch is from chilli flakes and cracked pepper.
A decent amount of grated parmesan rounds out and finishes the sauce perfectly. For a quick and easy pasta dish, this recipe is a winner.
Sara xxx
Ingredients
- Oregano: Fresh is a must for this recipe as it adds another fresh and green component. If you can't find fresh oregano you can use fresh thyme or parsley.
- Olive Oil: I use a mild (light) tasting olive oil to not overpower the other ingredients.
- Cracked Black Pepper: Adds an extra kick to the dish.
- Bucatini: Bucatini is similar in appearance to thick spaghetti, but it is actually thin tubes of extruded pasta that have a hole down the centre. Spaghetti or fettucini can easily be used in its place.
- Sea Salt: Just a pinch to enhance the flavour.
- Lemon: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice, it is a key ingredient and lifts the whole dish.
- Parmesan: If you finely grate the parmesan yourself you will find the flakes will melt and incorporate with the other liquids to create your sauce. Grate some extra parmesan over the finished dish.
- Dried Chilli Flakes: I regard this as the secret ingredient of this recipe. Adds an awesome punch that goes so well with the lemon.
- Zucchini: Also known as courgette. Don't squeeze the zucchini after you have grated it. The liquid released while mixing it through the pasta is another key component of the sauce.
Recipe Tips
The ingredient amounts I have listed for bucatini and zucchini pasta sauce is for two people as a main. You could stretch it to feed three if you serve it with some fresh crusty bread and a tomato, mozzarella, and basil salad. This recipe can easily be doubled to feed a family of four.
Before draining the pasta reserve some of the pasta water. By adding a splash while mixing in your ingredients to the bucatini it adds a finishing touch to your sauce.
Recipe Walk Through
Drop the bucatini into a large pot of salted boiling water. Cook until al dente, 10-12 minutes.
While the pasta is cooking prepare the ingredients for the zucchini pasta sauce.
Once pasta has cooked reserve a little of the pasta water and then drain.
Drain bucatini and return to the pot with the other ingredients except salt and pepper.
Add a couple of tablespoons of pasta water while mixing all the ingredients together.
Taste the pasta and season with salt and pepper as desired.
If you would like the dish to be more "saucy" add a little more pasta water.
This is not an overly saucy recipe so be careful to not add too much pasta water or you will dilute the flavour and make the sauce watery.
Serve immediately.
Printable Recipe
Bucatini with Zucchini Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 200 grams (7 oz) bucatini | you can also use spaghetti or fettucini
- 2 zucchini/courgette | grated
- ¼ cup fresh oregano leaves
- ½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
- 1½ tablespoon (6 teaspoons) freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1½ tablespoons (6 teaspoons) olive oil | light/mild flavoured
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- sea salt (or kosher) & cracked pepper | to season
- extra parmesan to serve
Instructions
- Drop your bucatini into a large pot of salted boiling water. Cook until al dente, 10 - 12 minutes.While the pasta is cooking prepare the ingredients for the zucchini pasta sauce.
- Once the bucantini has cooked reserve a little of the pasta water and then drain the bucatini.Once bucatini is drained return to the pot with the other ingredients.
- Add a couple of tablespoons of pasta water while mixing all the ingredients together except salt and pepper.Once combined taste, and then season with salt and pepper.
- If you would like the dish to be more "saucy" add a little more pasta water.This is not an overly saucy recipe so be careful to not add too much pasta water or you will dilute the flavour and make the sauce watery.Serve immediately.
Oven Temperatures
All oven temperatures are fan forced.
Measurement Notes
All measurements are Australian metric standard. All measures are level, and cups are lightly packed unless specified. 1 teaspoon = 5ml / 1 tablespoon = 20mls / 1 cup = 250ml /4 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon.
Recipe Notes
- 1 teaspoon equals 5ml
- 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml (Nth America, NZ & UK use 15ml tablespoons)
- 1 cup equals 250ml (Nth America use 237ml)
- 4 teaspoons equal 1 tablespoon
- I use the below unless specified in my recipes;
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
The recipe's nutritional information is an approximation based on an online calculator. It is meant solely for reference purposes. If you're looking for precise details, be sure to double-check with your own research.
More Quick Dinner Ideas
Add a little Flinstone drama to dinner with blood orange tomahawk pork chops, or my less dramatic but flavour-packed chicken karahi. Besides the below do have a rummage through my easy dinner recipes.
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