Lemon-Butter Gemelli with Zucchini and Cherry Tomatoes
This pasta dish bursts with the freshness of sautéed zucchini and juicy cherry tomatoes, beautifully balanced with a zesty lemon-butter sauce. A touch of chicken broth provides depth of flavor that brings the whole dish together splendidly.
Boil a large pot of water with salt. Add the gemelli pasta and cook according to package instructions, but stop 1 minute before it reaches al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water and then drain the pasta.
2
While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
3
Once the oil is heated, add the sliced zucchini and halved cherry tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until veggies soften and tomatoes release their juices, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
4
Now, reduce the heat to low, and to the veggies, add unsalted butter, minced garlic, and finely grated lemon zest. Stir frequently and let the butter melt, this should take around a minute.
5
Take the skillet off from heat and stir in freshly squeezed lemon juice, followed by chicken broth.
6
Place the skillet back on the stove over medium heat. Add the cooked pasta and reserved pasta water.
7
Stir this mixture until the chicken-lemon broth thickens and evenly coats the pasta. This should take around 1 - 2 minutes.
8
Do a taste test and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper as needed. Remove from the heat.
9
To finish, stir in the chopped fresh basil leaves and dust the pasta generously with Parmesan cheese before serving.