Ina Garten’s Fresh Lemon Linguine with Zucchini & Basil Recipe

Lemon linguine transforms ordinary pasta into a vibrant culinary canvas bursting with summer’s essence.

Mediterranean-inspired dishes rarely capture freshness quite like this bright, herbaceous creation.

Zesty citrus notes dance alongside delicate green ribbons, creating a harmonious flavor profile that awakens taste buds.

Creamy textures intertwine with crisp vegetable undertones, promising a delightful dining experience.

Seasonal produce becomes the star, turning an everyday meal into something extraordinary.

Let’s get started!

Lemon Linguine That Feels Like Summer

• Elevate Your Weeknight Dinner: This recipe transforms simple ingredients into a gourmet meal that feels fancy yet comes together in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for busy home cooks who want maximum flavor with minimal effort.
• Celebrate Fresh Seasonal Produce: The combination of tender zucchini, bright lemon, fragrant basil, and nutty pine nuts creates a vibrant dish that captures the essence of summer's most delightful garden ingredients.
• Master a Professional Cooking Technique: By using pasta water to create a silky, emulsified sauce and julienning zucchini for even cooking, you'll learn professional chef methods that upgrade your kitchen skills and make ordinary pasta extraordinary.
• Enjoy a Versatile One-Pan Wonder: This linguine recipe requires minimal cleanup, uses just one skillet, and can be easily customized with additional vegetables or protein, making it a flexible meal solution for various dietary preferences.

Lemon Linguine Ingredient List

• Linguine: Classic Italian pasta perfect for capturing light, zesty sauce.
• Kosher Salt: Enhances pasta water flavor and seasons cooking liquid.

• Zucchini: Fresh summer vegetable with delicate texture, best when thinly julienned.
• Basil: Aromatic herb that adds bright, fresh Mediterranean flavor.

• Lemon Zest, Lemon Juice: Citrus elements that provide vibrant, tangy brightness.
• Butter: Creates silky, rich sauce with smooth mouthfeel.
• Black Pepper: Adds subtle spicy undertone and depth.
• Parmesan Cheese: Salty, nutty cheese that provides richness and complexity.
• Pine Nuts: Toasted nuts offering crunchy texture and subtle nutty taste.
• Olive Oil: High-quality oil for sautéing vegetables with smooth flavor.

Cooking Zucchini & Basil Linguine

Step 1: Prepare Boiling Water

Fill a large pot with cold water. Add kosher salt. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat.

Step 2: Slice Zucchini Ribbons

Use a mandoline or sharp knife to create thin zucchini strips.

• Ensure strips are uniform
• Cut lengthwise for elegant presentation

Step 3: Sauté Zucchini

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat.

• Add zucchini strips
• Cook for 4 minutes
• Gently toss strips
• Remove from heat

Step 4: Cook Linguine

Drop linguine into boiling water. Cook for 8 minutes or until just before al dente.

Step 5: Combine Pasta and Zucchini

Transfer pasta directly into zucchini pan using tongs.

• Lemon zest
• Lemon juice
• Butter
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper

Toss ingredients together over medium-low heat for 2 minutes.

Step 6: Add Final Touches

Remove pan from heat.

• Fresh basil leaves
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Toasted pine nuts

Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Step 7: Serve Immediately

Plate pasta in warm bowls. Garnish with extra Parmesan cheese. Serve hot and enjoy!

Tips to Brighten Up Your Pasta

• Preserve Zucchini's Crunch: Quickly sauté zucchini for just 4 minutes to maintain its tender-crisp texture and prevent turning into a soggy mess.
• Squeeze for Brightness: Fresh-squeezed lemon juice elevates the entire dish, delivering a vibrant, zesty flavor that bottled juice can't match.
• Pasta Water Magic: Reserve a splash of starchy pasta water to create a silky, cohesive sauce that beautifully coats every strand of linguine.
• Protect Basil's Freshness: Fold in fragrant basil leaves after removing from heat, ensuring the herb stays vivid green and retains its intense aroma.
• Unlock Pine Nuts' Potential: Gently toast pine nuts to release their nutty essence, transforming them from bland to an irresistible crunchy garnish.

Saving Leftovers the Right Way

• Preserve Flavor: Transfer cooled pasta to a glass container with a tight-fitting lid to maintain freshness and prevent moisture absorption. Drizzle a light layer of olive oil over the pasta to keep noodles from sticking together and help retain the vibrant lemon and herb flavors.
• Quick Reheat Method: Sprinkle a small amount of water directly onto the pasta before microwaving to restore moisture and prevent drying. Gently stir the linguine every 30 seconds during reheating to distribute heat evenly and protect the delicate zucchini and basil texture.
• Freezing Option: Portion leftover linguine into individual freezer-safe containers, removing as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn.

Lemon Linguine Variations You’ll Crave

• Mediterranean Makeover: Replace zucchini with grilled eggplant and add crumbled feta cheese for a Greek-inspired version of the pasta dish.
• Seafood Symphony: Incorporate sautéed shrimp or scallops to add protein and create a more substantial meal with oceanic flavors.
• Spicy Southern Style: Introduce red pepper flakes and chorizo sausage to give the linguine a warm, zesty kick that elevates the original recipe's profile.
• Vegetarian Garden Blend: Swap pine nuts for roasted almonds and add sautéed mushrooms and spinach to create a hearty plant-based alternative with deeper earthy notes.

End Notes on This Fresh Pasta Dish

Mediterranean sunshine dances through Ina Garten’s lemon linguine, inviting culinary adventurers into a world of fresh, elegant simplicity.

Zucchini ribbons intertwine with silky pasta, creating harmonious layers of flavor that whisper Italian countryside secrets.

Bright lemon notes and fragrant basil elevate this dish from ordinary to extraordinary, transforming humble ingredients into an exquisite culinary experience.

Parmesan’s salty depth and toasted pine nuts provide delightful textural contrasts that surprise and delight the palate.

Skillful technique melds ingredients into a symphony of taste, showcasing Garten’s masterful approach to home cooking.

Passionate cooks and casual diners alike will find pure joy in each twirled forkful – so grab those ingredients, share this recipe with friends, spark conversation, and let deliciousness inspire your next kitchen adventure.

Ina Garten Lemon Linguine With Zucchini & Basil Recipe

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4.6 from 26 reviews

• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

Ina Garten’s lemon linguine blends zesty citrus with garden-fresh zucchini and aromatic basil, creating a light Mediterranean-inspired pasta. Summer flavors dance delicately on your plate, inviting refreshing comfort with each delightful forkful.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Ingredients:

• 2 medium zucchini, unpeeled, ends trimmed (about 14 ounces / 397 grams)
• ½ pound (227 grams) dried linguine
• ¼ cup (60 grams) freshly grated Italian Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

Flavoring Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• ⅓ cup (80 milliliters) freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
• ¼ cup (15 grams) julienned fresh basil leaves
• ¼ cup (35 grams) toasted pine nuts
• 3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter, diced

Seasoning Ingredients:

• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Good olive oil

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Instructions

1. Prepare a spacious pot with water, incorporating of kosher salt, and initiate a rolling boil over high heat.
2. Transform zucchini into delicate ribbons using a mandoline, creating uniform thin strips for even cooking.
3. Warm of extra-virgin olive oil in a broad sauté pan over medium temperature, gently introducing zucchini strips and sautéing for approximately 4 minutes, intermittently rotating to ensure balanced caramelization.
4. When water reaches vigorous boiling point, submerge linguine and cook for 8 minutes, targeting slightly under the package’s recommended al dente duration.
5. Transition pasta directly from boiling water into the zucchini pan using tongs, deliberately capturing some starchy cooking liquid.
6. Incorporate lemon zest, freshly squeezed lemon juice, unsalted butter, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper into the pasta mixture.
7. Reduce heat to medium-low, allowing ingredients to meld and create a silky, light sauce for approximately 2 minutes, periodically adding reserved pasta water to achieve desired consistency.
8. Remove pan from heat, gently fold in freshly chopped basil leaves, finely grated Parmesan cheese, and toasted pine nuts.
9. Perform final seasoning adjustment with additional salt and pepper according to personal preference.
10. Plate immediately, presenting with extra Parmesan cheese alongside for optional garnishing.

Notes

• Toasting pine nuts releases their hidden nutty richness, transforming an ordinary dish into something extraordinary with just a quick pan-roasting technique.
• Adding fresh basil after removing from heat preserves its vibrant green color and intense aromatic essence, ensuring maximum flavor impact.
• Reserving pasta water acts like culinary magic, creating silky smooth sauce textures that perfectly coat every single pasta strand.
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice bursts with brighter, more intense citrus notes compared to bottled alternatives, elevating the entire recipe’s taste profile.
• Sautéing zucchini requires precise timing – 4 minutes creates tender vegetables with delightful texture, preventing the dreaded mushy consistency that ruins the dish’s appeal.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Category: Lunch, Dinner
• Method: Sautéing
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving (1/4 of recipe)
• Calories: 411 kcal
• Sugar: 6 g
• Sodium: 310 mg
• Fat: 22 g
• Saturated Fat: 3 g
• Carbohydrates: 47 g
• Fiber: 4 g
• Protein: 10 g
• Cholesterol: 15 mg