If you are bored of tomato-based pasta sauce like me, this recipe is for you - creamy courgette pasta sauce but without any cream. How can it be creamy? You may ask. The answer is to slow-cook the courgettes, then blend them into a puree. Throw in some oven-dried cherry tomatoes, top with a generous helping of grated Parmesan cheese, and you have a delicious, quick meal.
Like pasta dishes? Then try my aloo olio-inspired recipe.
You must also try my cottage cheese wraps that use a baked courgette sheet as the wrap. You'll not be disappointed!
Ingredients
- Courgette
- White onion
- Garlic
- Oven-dried cherry tomatoes
- Vegan parmesan cheese
- Olive oil
- Bay leaf
- Peppercorns
- Salt
- Spaghetti
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
First, prepare the ingredients. Cut the onion and the courgette in half, then slice each half into even-sized slices.
Peel and chop the garlic.
In a saucepan, heat the oil and add the bay leaf and peppercorns. Add the onions and garlic. Fry until the onions are soft.
Once the onions are soft, add the courgettes, season with salt, and cook until the courgettes are soft. The courgettes will release water while cooking.
Transfer the contents of the pot to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the courgette purée into a pan.
Cook the spaghetti to al dente.
Add about 100 ml of the pasta water to the courgette sauce, then add the cooked spaghetti. Mix well.
Add the oven-dried cherry tomatoes, perhaps some olives, and mix. Top with some grated vegan parmesan cheese.
Serve hot.
Substitutions
If not vegan, you can use dairy Parmesan cheese instead.
Variations
This courgette pasta sauce is delicious with any pasta, although spaghetti or linguine are my favourites.
Equipment
A good-quality blender helps produce a smooth puree.
Storage
You can store this courgette pasta sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
This sauce can be frozen for up to three months in an airtight container. I find it easier to freeze in zip-lock silicone bags with the exact amount I use for each portion. In that way, I only defrost what I need.
FAQ's
Al dente is an Italian word that means "to the tooth". It describes the texture of cooked pasta that is firm when bitten into and has a slight chew. A way to know when al dente consistency is achieved is to see when the pasta's white centre disappears during cooking. The key is not to overcook the pasta to the point where it is mushy.
📖 Recipe
Creamy Courgette Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 650 g Courgettes
- 100 g White onion
- 25 g Garlic
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1 tsp Salt
- 6 Peppercorns
- 200 g Spaghetti
- 20 g Vegan parmesan
- 30 g Oven-dried cherry tomatoes.
Instructions
- Cut in half and then slice the onions and courgette with slices of even thickness.
- Peel and slice the garlic.
- In a pan, heat the oil and add the bay leaf and peppercorns.
- Add the onions and garlic, and fry over medium heat; we want the onions and garlic to soften without changing colour.
- Once the onions are soft, add the courgettes, season with salt, and cook until the courgettes are soft.
- Remove from the heat and transfer to a blender (along with the water released from the courgettes during cooking) and blend to a smooth puree.
- Cook the pasta to al dente.
- Over medium heat, bring back the courgette puree to the pan, and add a bit of the pasta water.
- Add the pasta and mix-season as desired.
- Add olives/oven-dried tomatoes or whatever else you wish to add and mix well.
- Serve hot garnished with more tomatoes and vegan parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
Food Safety
- Wash your hands regularly while preparing, handling and cooking food.
- Wipe down countertops and high-contact points regularly.
- If you cook meat and fish, do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat. Use separate chopping boards for meat and fish. Wash your chopping boards immediately after use.
- Thoroughly cook food to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C).
- Don't leave food at room temperature for extended periods (more than 2 hours).
- Store food correctly.
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