If you like pasta, this spaghetti with courgettes, lemon, and ricotta is better than a “carbonara”, and much, much healthier. They are the perfect pasta dish to serve when you have last-minute friends over for dinner and would make a great impression for a more formal dinner or an evening for two.
THE SECRET OF THIS SPAGHETTI WITH COURGETTES AND RICOTTA
The real secret of this pasta is that it has a moderate portion of pasta and lots of courgettes, meaning that it will slow down the absorption of the pasta carbs and reduce the sugar spike after the meal.
The ricotta will help slow down the absorption of carbs further. If you are not familiar with ricotta, you should definitely try it!
WHAT IS RICOTTA
Ricotta is a soft Italian cheese that is made from milk curd and is rich in whey proteins. It can be made from different types of dairy milk, but the most common type is made from cow’s milk.
Cow’s ricotta tends to be very digestible and presents a decent amount of proteins while being lower in saturated fats than other types of cheese. Due to its delicate taste, it can be used in both savory and sweet recipes and can added to pasta and quiches, and cakes.
HOW TO MAKE THIS PASTA LIGHTER
This spaghetti recipe can be made lighter simply by omitting the ricotta. Made with just spaghetti, courgettes, Parmesan cheese, and a touch of lemon ( if you like but it is totally optional ) this recipe works really well, and it is great if you have only a little time and no ricotta at home.
But remember to maintain that proportion between the quantity of pasta and courgettes to maintain its “healthy” status: less pasta and more vegetables!
WHY YOU HAVE TO COOK YOUR PASTA “AL DENTE”
“Pasta al dente is an Italian expression that means that pasta needs to be cooked on point and not overcooked. There are two main reasons for that. The first one is that pasta cooked al dente, retains its flavor and it is more delicious.
The second one, is that if you overcook the pasta, the carbohydrates will break down more easily and they will spike your blood sugar levels.
GET THE RECIPE
Spaghetti with courgettes, lemon and ricotta
Ingredients
- 160 gr Spaghetti
- 250 gr Courgettes
- 40 gr Ricotta
- 25 gr Parmesan or Pecorino cheese grated
- 2 tbs Extra-virgin oilive oil
- a dash Chili flakes
- half Lemon peel and juice
Instructions
- Cut the courgette julienne, place them in a non-stick pan with olive and chili, and let them cook for 5-6 minutes and low-medium heat.
- In the meantime, boil the water for the pasta in a pot, add half a teaspoon of salt then add the spaghetti.
- Drain the "spaghetti "al dente" and place them in the pan with courgettes, add the parmesan, the ricotta a dash of fresh lemon juice and a dash of lemon peel.
- Stir well, and let go in the pan for 1 min at medium heat. Serve!
Notes
ABOUT ME
I am an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach with a further specialization in Emotional and Binge Eating. I create healthier versions of everyday meals that can easily boost your well-being without giving up on satisfaction and taste.
I can help you transform your relationship with food with a supportive mind-body approach and simple changes in the way you eat. Work towards an Intuitive Eating approach grounded in Nutrition and Behavior Change science.
RSS - Posts
Just an awesome recipe. And so easy to make. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much!
This is a mouthwatering recipe! Today we just had penne with pomodoro and melanzane. I like the combination of ingredients and will try this!
Thanks Lisa! Let me know how it goes!