Lemon Ricotta Zucchini Pasta with Kalamata Olives

On Saturday, one of my good friends, Ryann, from high school got married. Her wedding...

Lemon Ricotta Zucchini Pasta with Kalamata Olives

On Saturday, one of my good friends, Ryann, from high school got married. Her wedding was special on so many levels. She got married in her parent’s backyard, which they masterfully transformed for her big day.

Not only did they have a separate area for cocktail hour, ceremony and the reception, they had a garden in the middle! A gorgeous, luscious, fruitful garden.

Lemon Ricotta Zucchini Pasta with Kalamata Olives

Funny enough, I spotted a giant yellow squash in the garden while Ryann was taking post-ceremony photos. She tried to grab it and I snapped a photo! Her mother loves spiralizing, so I’m sure she’ll be enjoying that squash soon.

Inspiralized

Makes me want a garden wedding! I’ve actually already picked my location and it’s very statuesque, so I can’t wait to start planning everything around it.

Also, seeing that large garden made me want to live somewhere where I could have my own walkable garden. The wedding was in Bergen County in New Jersey, where farms are everywhere! It’s a beautiful part of the state and Lu and I gave ourselves an extra hour to drive around on our way home the next morning after the wedding to take in the scenery. Both of us were in awe of the beautiful New Jersey countryside.

Lemon Ricotta Zucchini Pasta with Kalamata Olives

While bowls of pasta with rich sauces and luscious ingredients are amazing, sometimes, a simple sauce over zucchini pasta is all you need to enjoy the flavors of fresh produce. This lemon ricotta has three ingredients: freshly cracked pepper, lemon, and ricotta cheese. That’s all you need!

Since ricotta is a mild cheese (with a divinely velvety texture), the kalamata olives offer a natural saltiness that works well here, since any added salt would cause the zucchini to turn to mush.

Lemon Ricotta Zucchini Pasta with Kalamata Olives

This pasta is vegetarian-friendly, but also works as an appetizer plate or side dish to a main. The wide zucchini noodles offer more space for the ricotta to cling to. My top tip for this recipe? It’s crucial to use pasta tongs when you plate it, since the excess water in the cooked zucchini adds moisture to the ricotta and causes it to thin out.

Other than that, this fresh zucchini pasta recipe is an easy one to whip up on a weekday or use at a dinner party on the weekend!

Nutritional Information & Recipe

Inspiralized

Lemon Ricotta Zucchini Pasta with Kalamata Olives

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 2

Ingredients

  • ½ cup ricotta cheese
  • zest of 1 small lemon + 1 tsp of juice
  • pepper to taste
  • ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1 pinch red pepper flakes
  • 2 medium zucchinis Blade A
  • 1/3 cup halved kalamata olives

Instructions

  • Place the ricotta cheese and olives in a large mixing bowl with the lemon zest and juice. Season with pepper and set aside.
  • In a large skillet, add in the olive oil. Once oil heats, add in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Then, add in the zucchini noodles and toss for 3 minutes or until al dente. Using pasta tongs to let excess moisture drip dry, transfer the zucchini noodles into the bowl with the ricotta sauce and kalamata olives. Toss to combine and then transfer to the pasta bowls using tongs, letting excess moisture drip off.
  • Serve immediately.
with love, Ali

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Recipe Rating




comments

  • Sounds delicious!!
  • this looks delicious and I LOVE the picture of the bride haha
  • Mmmmmmmmm. Yum! Each new dish is more enticing than the last! If I won the great items in your giveaway, I would prepare today's dish, Lemon Ricotta Zucchini Pasta with Kalamata Olives! It would look fantastic on the beautiful white plates! Thanks for being so generous with you time and talents!! I never thought I'd love zucchini as much as I do now thanks to you and spiralizing!
  • I would make spiralized casseroles like every couple days with those dishes...they're gorgeous! Also can't wait to try this simple delicious looking dish : )
  • This is SO right up my alley! Making this for dinner tonight! Thanks Ali!
  • I love ricotta. This looks so tasty.
  • The Lemon Ricotta Zucchini Pasta would look lovely in the turquoise dish, but I think I would use the small yellow bowl and eat it all myself! ;)
  • You have such beautiful photos!
  • I would make a braised chicken thigh dish.
  • I am obsessed with fish tacos, so I can totally picture serving up my favorite meal in these bakers. Each ingredient will have its own dish! Thanks for the giveaway!
  • Ricotta and kalamata olives sounds like it's a great combination! Beautiful picture of the garden!
  • I'm not a fan of olives. Would the dish need salt if I left them out?
  • I would totally make zuchini noodles with a basil pesto and some turkey sausage crumbles.
  • Love the colorful baking dishes! I'd probably start with an egg bake made with spiralized veggies!
  • My comment was sent before I filled in my info! I wrote about making the egg bake ;)
  • What could you use in place of the olives?
  • I would make your go-to recipe: Baked Chicken and Kale Zucchini Pasta!
  • I'd make a low-carb "quiche" bake with zoodles.
  • You have So many creative dishes! I am so glad I purchased the Paderno spiralizer. I will be kept busy trying so many of your delicious recipes. Thanks!
  • Living in south florida it is still hot and humid! I would make something cold using cucumbers, tomatoes,onions, garkic and a lemon mint vinergerette!
  • First of all, I cannot believe I did not already follow you on instagram and pinterest! SHAME ON ME. The wedding looks so beautiful!! And I love this simple lemony ricotta sauce for zucchini noodles. Decadent but also NOT. Hmmm I would try to make some form of spiralized lasagna in those pans!
  • I loved the wedding 'details' and the recipe looks wonderful! I would love to be creating it, very soon, in one of the colorful pans and serving it on the crisp, white dinnerware! :-)
  • This recipe looks delicious, I just bought a spiralizer, and I'm so excited to make all the delicious recipes on your website! Quick question -- I know you did a post about packing lunches in a mason jar, and I'm wondering if most recipes on your site would be packable in the same way? If not, what you would recommend (in both preparation and packing) so that meals can be packed either the night before or the morning of? Thank you so much!
  • You can eliminate some of the moisture in the zucchini by putting it in a colander after spiralizing, sprinkle w/some salt, and let it drain for about 30 minutes, then rinse w/cool water, and dry in a kitchen towel or paper towels...then proceed w/the recipe... This looks so good, thanks for posting.
  • Thanks for this recipe! I brought it to Easter lunch today, and it was well liked :).
  • This sounds really delicious and something new to try. Thank you for sharing this. Simon