Quick Courgette and Cherry Tomato Pasta

This delightful recipe for quick courgette pasta truly maximises efficiency, allowing you to prepare a vibrant sauce while your pasta cooks, ensuring a complete meal is on the table in just 30 minutes. It’s a celebration of fresh, uncomplicated flavours, reminiscent of the best simple recipes that inspire us to eat well without fuss or undue effort. This balanced and utterly satisfying dish is perfectly suited for a busy weeknight, where both quality ingredients and speed are paramount, delivering wholesome goodness with minimal stress.

Quick Overview

• Preparation Time: 10 minutes
• Cooking Time: 15-18 minutes
• Difficulty: Easy
• Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 7.1 oz (200g) short pasta (e.g., penne, fusilli)
• 2 medium courgettes
• 8.8 oz (250g) cherry tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic
• A small bunch fresh basil
• 1.8 oz (50g) salted ricotta (or Parmigiano Reggiano)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh or dried chilli (optional, to taste)
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions, usually for 8-10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, wash and dice the courgettes into small cubes or thin half-moons. Wash the cherry tomatoes and halve them. Peel and finely chop the garlic.
3. In a large frying pan, heat a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over a medium flame. Add the chopped garlic and, if desired, a little chilli, then sauté for about one minute until fragrant.
4. Stir the courgettes into the pan and sauté for 4-5 minutes until they begin to soften. Next, add the cherry tomatoes and cook for another 3-4 minutes, allowing them to remain slightly intact.
5. Before draining the pasta, reserve approximately half a cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and transfer it directly to the frying pan with the vegetables.
6. Add the fresh basil, torn by hand, and mix thoroughly. Add a little of the reserved pasta water, if needed, to create a light sauce, and toss everything together to emulsify.
7. Serve immediately, garnishing each plate with grated or shaved salted ricotta and a grinding of fresh black pepper.

Serving & Leftovers

This dish is truly best enjoyed immediately, when the flavours are at their most vibrant and the pasta is perfectly al dente. Should you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one day, though note that the texture of the vegetables and pasta may soften slightly upon reheating.

Nutrition

Nutritional values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients, specific products used, and portion sizes.

One Last Thing

Embracing a reliable method for a swift, nutritious, and delicious meal is a daily luxury. This recipe perfectly exemplifies how simplicity can yield exceptional results, transforming home cooking into a moment of pure enjoyment, free from the usual rush and stress of weeknight dinners.