Fettuccine with Lemon Ricotta and Zucchini

If you’re looking for a way to use up all that zucchini and summer squash: You’ve just found the perfect pasta recipe! Ribboned veggies and fettuccine coated in the dreamiest ricotta sauce – just 20 minutes of prep time!

This is one of the best vegetarian summer pasta recipes I have ever made. No exaggeration! The creamy sauce, the vegetables… It is just SO good.

How I make it

1 First I get started on cooking the pasta. While it’s cooking, I ribbon the zucchini, summer squash and carrots – just use a vegetable peeler, it’s so easy! Then I sauté the veggies with a little lemon zest in a little olive oil.

2 Then, I combine all ingredients for the ricotta sauce.

3 Finally, I drain the pasta (reserve 1/4 cup liquid!) and put it back into the pot with the reserved pasta cooking water and the ricotta sauce and stir until creamy. Then I stir in the veggies and serve with grated parmesan cheese.

Tips and tricks

• Make sure you don’t overcook the vegetables, or they’ll all fall apart when you add them to the pasta.
• Do not boil once you’ve added the ricotta – the sauce would get crumbly and dry. You just need to toss it with the hot pasta and it will become perfectly creamy.
• If you’re watching your carbs, cut back on the pasta and use plenty of extra ribboned vegetables instead!

Serving suggestions

I like this as a vegetarian main, but if you want to add a little something else – it goes wonderfully with both a lemony, garlicky grilled chicken breast or my perfectly marinated steak!

I hope you’re going to give this recipe a try – it’s such a simple delight!

More zucchini recipes

You can also browse my pasta recipes here, or my summer recipes here.

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Fettuccine with Lemon Ricotta and Zucchini

Fettuccine with Lemon Ricotta and Zucchini Recipe – A fresh and tasty pasta dish for summer, from kitchen to table in no time!

Recipe by Nora Rusev

made it? tap the stars to add your rating!

5 from 2 votes

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Recipe details

Prep 20 mins

Cook 20 mins

Total 40 mins

Difficulty Easy

Servings 4

Nutrition 498 kcal

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• 1 (12 oz) box Fettuccine
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lemon finely grated zest only
• 1 large zucchini halved lengthwise and cut into ribbons
• 1 large yellow summer squash halved lengthwise and cut into ribbons
• 2 medium carrots cut into ribbons

For the Ricotta Sauce

• 1 lemon juice only
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 cup Ricotta cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• salt & pepper to taste

To serve

• grated parmesan cheese to taste

Instructions

 

• Cook pasta: Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta cooking water.
• Sauté vegetables: While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet and sauté the vegetables together with the lemon zest over medium-high heat until softened.
• Make sauce: To make the ricotta sauce, stir all ingredients together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Finish dish: Add the pasta back to the pot, along with the ricotta sauce and the reserved cooking water. Stir well, then carefully mix in the vegetables and serve immediately with grated parmesan cheese.

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Notes

 

• Make sure you don’t overcook the vegetables, or they’ll all fall apart when you add them to the pasta.
• Do not boil once you’ve added the ricotta – the sauce would get crumbly and dry. You just need to toss it with the hot pasta and it will become perfectly creamy.
• If you’re watching your carbs, cut back on the pasta and use plenty of extra ribboned vegetables instead!

Nutrition

Calories: 498kcalCarbohydrates: 70gProtein: 21gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 103mgSodium: 97mgPotassium: 637mgFiber: 5gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 5852IUVitamin C: 28mgCalcium: 185mgIron: 2mg

Nutrition is an estimate.

More recipe information

Suitable for: Vegetarian

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian