Recipe: Pasta and Vegetables in Lemon-Parmesan Sauce

I made this for dinner on Monday night, and alas, I forgot to take a picture. It was delicious though! A perfect spring dinner. This recipe is very customizable, so feel free to add lots of other veggies to this. I think it would be especially delicious with asparagus, green beans, and/or mushrooms.

Pasta and Vegetables in Lemon-Parmesan Sauce – Serves 4-6

1 8 oz package of long pasta (such as spaghetti, fettuccine, linguine, or angel hair)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 oz zucchini, washed and cut into chunks

1 lemon

1½ cups frozen green peas, thawed

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup grated parmesan cheese (use the good kind, trust me)

~2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Chopped fresh parsley, to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions in heavily salted boiling water. 

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, and zucchini to pot and season well with salt and pepper. Saute until tender and slightly browned, about 7-8 minutes. Add peas and the zest of the lemon, cook for another minute. 

Drain pasta, reserving slightly more than 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add pasta to veggies along with cream, cheese, the juice of the lemon, and ¾ cup of the pasta water. Reduce heat to medium and toss until all ingredients are heated through and the cheese has melted to form a sauce. Add more pasta water if the sauce is too thick. Stir in fresh herbs and more salt and pepper, if needed. 

Serve immediately, passing extra parmesan cheese if desired.

Photo Credit