Zingy courgette and basil pasta
Serves: 2
Prep time: 15 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Tara Fisher
Zingy courgette and basil pasta
Ripe avocado makes a lusciously creamy sauce for pasta in this speedy midweek meal - on the table in 15 minutes
Serves: 2
Prep time: 15 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
541Kcal
Fat
25gr
Saturates
6gr
Carbs
57gr
Sugars
6gr
Fibre
8gr
Protein
19gr
Salt
0.6gr
Tamsin Burnett-Hall
Tamsin learned the tricks of the trade from cookery legend Delia Smith. A trusted recipe writer for the magazine for over 25 years, in her home kitchen, Tamsin creates fuss-free flavour-packed food for friends and family, with baking being her ultimate form of comfort cooking
Tamsin Burnett-Hall
Tamsin learned the tricks of the trade from cookery legend Delia Smith. A trusted recipe writer for the magazine for over 25 years, in her home kitchen, Tamsin creates fuss-free flavour-packed food for friends and family, with baking being her ultimate form of comfort cooking
Ingredients
- 150g dried conchiglie, or other pasta shape
- 2 medium courgettes (about 450g)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- ½ x 30g pack fresh basil
- 1 ripe avocado
- zest and juice of ½ lemon
- 25g freshly grated Parmesan or vegetarian alternative
Step by step
- Cook the pasta in a large pan of salted boiling water for 10-12 minutes until al dente.
- Meanwhile, trim the courgettes, halve them lengthwise and cut into roughly 1cm thick half-moons. Heat the oil in another saucepan, add the courgettes, garlic and some seasoning and cook over a fairly high heat, covered but stirring occasionally, until golden and tender, about 5 minutes. Finely slice the basil leaves, add half to the courgettes and remove from the heat.
- Scoop the avocado flesh into a bowl and add the lemon zest and juice, 15g of the Parmesan and most of the remaining shredded basil. Blitz to a purée using a hand blender (or mash using a fork) and season generously.
- Drain the pasta, reserving half a mugful of the cooking water. Return to the pan and mix in the avocado sauce and the courgettes, adding some of the pasta water if needed to give a creamy coating-consistency sauce. Divide between warm bowls and scatter with the reserved basil and the rest of the Parmesan.
Tip
Bulk it up:
Missing the meat? Curmble in some crispy bacon to serve.
Make it vegan:
Use dairy-free Parmesan-style cheese.
Missing the meat? Curmble in some crispy bacon to serve.
Make it vegan:
Use dairy-free Parmesan-style cheese.
