I know a lot of people think of pasta as something you eat in warmer months but I am personally a huge advocate for pasta in every season. And there are ways to lighten it up so it’s not a thick heavy ragu sauce. My favorite move is to add vegetables like zucchini and summer squash to pasta. This makes it healthy-ish!

The easiest way to make a sauce come together is scooping out a bit of pasta water before you drain the pasta. This can thin out any pesto, marinara, or in this case, crème fraîche and lemon. It’s a super tart, simple sauce that feels light and refreshing on these last days of summer.

Lemony Zucchini Pasta

No matter the time of year, this lemony zucchini pasta is a satisfying way to eat your veggies. (Recipe Credit: Adrianna Adarme of Fresh Tastes)

Ingredients

• 1 pound pasta 
• 1/2 cup pasta water
• Freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 shallot, peeled and minced
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 1 summer squash, sliced
• 1/2 cup crème fraîche
• Zest and juice from 1 lemon 

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package’s direction, until al dente. Scoop out 1 cup of pasta water and set aside. Drain the pasta. If you’re moving a little slowly in the kitchen, toss the pasta with a teaspoon of olive oil so it doesn’t stick. 
2. In a large saute pan, set over medium heat, add the olive oil. When warm, add the minced shallot, garlic and zucchini and summer squash. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the pasta to the pot, along with the crème fraîche, lemon juice and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Then pour in about 1/4 cup pasta water and give it a good mix. Adjust the salt and pepper according to your liking.
3. Divide amongst plates or bowls and serve. 

Yield: Serves 2-3

Adrianna Adarme is a food blogger and author living in Los Angeles, California. She writes the blog A Cozy Kitchen, where she shares comforting, everyday recipes from her kitchen. She recently authored her first cookbook, PANCAKES: 72 Sweet and Savory Recipes for the Perfect Stack. She’s a lover of breakfast, pie (and sometimes even pie for breakfast), corgis and cute things. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.