Courgette and Tomato Pasta
Whip up a delightful weeknight dinner with our Courgette and Tomato Pasta that's bursting with flavor! Featuring fresh courgettes sautéed to perfection and juicy tomatoes that create a rich, vibrant sauce, this dish is not only quick to make but also a feast for the eyes and taste buds. Get ready to impress your family with a meal that’s as easy as it is scrumptious!
Prep
15
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 2 large handfuls of spinach, chopped
- 4 large tomatoes
- 1 tbsp of tomato puree (15 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika (5 ml)
📦Other(2)
- chilli flakes
- 1 and half courgettes, sliced in half
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
56
Protein
3g
Carbs
12g
Fat
1g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Heat a little oil over medium-high heat.
- 2
Add your courgette, tomatoes and garlic.
- 3
Cook for a few minutes until your courgette has browned a little. Then lower the heat and cover the pan.
- 4
Cook for 15-20 minutes until your courgette and tomatoes are soft.
- 5
Remove skin of tomatoes (optional) and then mash them.
- 6
Add in tomato puree, spinach and seasoning, stir and cook for a further few minutes. Add cooked pasta and enjoy.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Halve your courgettes lengthwise and score the flesh in a crosshatch pattern at 1cm intervals before browning, increasing surface area by ~40% and allowing faster moisture evaporation for better caramelization.technique1cm crosshatch spacing, ~40% surface area increase
- ✓Salt your courgette and tomato pieces 10-15 minutes before cooking to draw out 15-20% of their moisture via osmosis, concentrating flavors and preventing a watery sauce.timing10-15 minutes pre-salting
- ✓Grate your garlic instead of mincing it and cook for only 45-60 seconds after the courgettes brown, because garlic releases bitter sulfur compounds at temperatures above 330°F (165°C) if cooked longer.technique45-60 seconds cook time
- ✓Add spinach in the final 2-3 minutes off heat after mashing tomatoes, stirring residually with the pan's thermal carry-over, preserving chlorophyll and preventing the dull olive-green that develops from prolonged heat exposure.timing2-3 minutes, off-heat
- ✓Use a 1:1 ratio of tomato puree to cooked courgette-tomato base (roughly 1.5 tbsp per 2 courgettes) to add umami depth and lycopene without creating an acidic, concentrated flavor that needs neutralizing.ingredient1:1 ratio, ~1.5 tbsp per 2 courgettes
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
20
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Courgette and Tomato Pasta
Whip up a delightful weeknight dinner with our Courgette and Tomato Pasta that's bursting with flavor! Featuring fresh courgettes sautéed to perfection and juicy tomatoes that create a rich, vibrant sauce, this dish is not only quick to make but also a feast for the eyes and taste buds. Get ready to impress your family with a meal that’s as easy as it is scrumptious!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- 5 cloves of garlic
- 2 large handfuls of spinach, chopped
- 4 large tomatoes
- 1 tbsp of tomato puree (15 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(2)
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika (5 ml)
📦Other(2)
- chilli flakes
- 1 and half courgettes, sliced in half
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
56
Protein
3g
Carbs
12g
Fat
1g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Heat a little oil over medium-high heat.
- 2
Add your courgette, tomatoes and garlic.
- 3
Cook for a few minutes until your courgette has browned a little. Then lower the heat and cover the pan.
- 4
Cook for 15-20 minutes until your courgette and tomatoes are soft.
- 5
Remove skin of tomatoes (optional) and then mash them.
- 6
Add in tomato puree, spinach and seasoning, stir and cook for a further few minutes. Add cooked pasta and enjoy.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Halve your courgettes lengthwise and score the flesh in a crosshatch pattern at 1cm intervals before browning, increasing surface area by ~40% and allowing faster moisture evaporation for better caramelization.technique1cm crosshatch spacing, ~40% surface area increase
- ✓Salt your courgette and tomato pieces 10-15 minutes before cooking to draw out 15-20% of their moisture via osmosis, concentrating flavors and preventing a watery sauce.timing10-15 minutes pre-salting
- ✓Grate your garlic instead of mincing it and cook for only 45-60 seconds after the courgettes brown, because garlic releases bitter sulfur compounds at temperatures above 330°F (165°C) if cooked longer.technique45-60 seconds cook time
- ✓Add spinach in the final 2-3 minutes off heat after mashing tomatoes, stirring residually with the pan's thermal carry-over, preserving chlorophyll and preventing the dull olive-green that develops from prolonged heat exposure.timing2-3 minutes, off-heat
- ✓Use a 1:1 ratio of tomato puree to cooked courgette-tomato base (roughly 1.5 tbsp per 2 courgettes) to add umami depth and lycopene without creating an acidic, concentrated flavor that needs neutralizing.ingredient1:1 ratio, ~1.5 tbsp per 2 courgettes