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A bowl of spaghetti tossed with ribbons of courgette, lemon zest and parmesan
vegetarianquick

Lemon & Courgette Pasta

A bright, silky weeknight pasta — courgette ribbons, double lemon and plenty of parmesan, ready in 20 minutes.

Prep 10 min Cook 10 min 4 servings

Nutrition per serving

520 kcal calories
18 g protein
78 g carbs
16 g fat
Fibre 5g
Sugar 6g
Sodium 320mg
See how it compares to the classic ↓

In the clinic

260 fewer calories per portion

Classic creamy courgette pasta this version

Usually built on double cream, butter and a heavy hand with the parmesan

−76% saturated fat −58% fat −56% sodium
Per serving Classic creamy courgette pasta This recipe Difference
Calories 780 kcal 520 kcal −33%
Fat 38g 16g −58%
Saturated fat 21g 5g −76%
Sugar 7g 6g −14%
Sodium 720mg 320mg −56%
Fibre 4g 5g +25%
Protein 20g 18g −10%

What changed

  • Double cream Reserved starchy pasta water and lemon juice

    The starch emulsifies into a glossy sauce, so you keep the silkiness without the saturated fat

  • Butter to finish Extra virgin olive oil

    Swaps saturated fat for unsaturated, which is the change that matters most for cardiovascular risk

  • A heavy grating of parmesan 60g, grated very finely

    Finer grating spreads further, so you get the same savoury hit for roughly half the salt and saturated fat

Both figures are estimates per serving. The comparison is a typical traditional version of the dish, not a specific product.

This is the sample recipe that ships with the site — post a photo in the group chat and the bot will replace it with something you actually cooked.

Ingredients

Servings 4
  • 400 g Spaghetti
  • 3 Courgettes, ribboned with a peeler
  • 2 Lemons, zest and juice
  • 3 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
  • 60 g Parmesan, finely grated
  • 4 tbsp Olive oil
  • Basil, small bunch

Instructions

  1. Cook the spaghetti in well-salted water until just short of al dente, reserving a mug of pasta water.

  2. Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a large pan and soften the garlic without colouring it.

  3. Add the courgette ribbons and cook for 2 minutes until silky.

  4. Toss in the drained pasta with a splash of pasta water, the lemon zest and juice, and most of the parmesan.

  5. Season generously, tear in the basil, and serve with the remaining parmesan on top.