Description
Discover how to make a delicious Summer Squash Pasta with a zesty Lemony Garlic Sauce in this easy recipe. Perfect for a light and flavorful meal!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (227 g) dry pasta
- water for cooking – reserve 120 ml pasta water
- 120 g pine nuts
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil
- 180 g shallots, sliced thinly
- 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
- 720 g zucchini, diced
- 425 g white beans
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 ml) salt
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 ml) pepper
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon (3 ml) red pepper flakes
- 160 ml lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) capers, drained
- 360 g baby arugula
- optional non-dairy cheese (for example, vegan parmesan)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta following the instructions on the package. Before draining, save half a cup of the cooking liquid in case it’s needed later. After draining, put the pasta aside if the other components aren’t prepared yet.
- Rinse the white beans thoroughly and set them aside.
- While the pasta cooks, you may choose to toast the pine nuts for enhanced flavor. Be sure to watch them closely as they can burn easily. If you’re not able to supervise them, it’s better to skip this step. Place the pine nuts in a skillet without oil. Set the heat to medium-low and stir constantly until they’re lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Quickly remove them from the skillet to stop further cooking and set them aside.
- Meanwhile, extract the juice from the lemon, dice the zucchini, slice the shallots, and mince the garlic. If the baby arugula isn’t prewashed, rinse it and dry it with a towel.
- Pour the olive oil into a large pan and heat it over medium-high heat. When hot, add the thinly sliced shallots and sauté for around 2 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and continue cooking for another 2 minutes until the shallots start to soften. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Introduce the zucchini and white beans to the pan, cooking until the zucchini becomes tender.
- Combine the cooked pasta with the capers, lemon juice, and toasted pine nuts in the skillet. Mix everything well. If the mixture seems too dry, gradually add the reserved pasta water, one tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency is achieved.
- Stir in the baby arugula and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
Notes
- Toast pine nuts carefully for a nutty flavor without burning them.
- Thoroughly rinse white beans to remove excess sodium or starch.
- Adjust pasta dish consistency by gradually adding reserved pasta water if too dry.