Zucchini Spaghetti with Linguine, Olives and Feta is so easy to make, it's not only vegetarian, it's delicious. Once everything is prepped, it cooks in about 10 minutes. It has a great combination of flavors with the sun-dried tomatoes and olives adding meatiness; fresh tomato and basil provide freshness, and the Feta cheese adds richness and saltiness. Of course, the pasta gives structure, and the zucchini spaghetti adds bulk and crunch.
And now the story...
I like pasta.
There, I said it. I like my pasta.
Pasta with gluten. Not whole wheat, just regular old made with semolina flour pasta.
Cooked soft yet firm to the bite. Al dente.
I loved it when we went to Italy with the Colavita Race Team and every meal included pasta. Well, breakfast didn't. But each lunch and dinner had a pasta course. Simple yet delicious.
And most of them contained no meat as meat would come with the following course.
This recipe makes a hearty vegetarian meal.
That said - I don't necessarily love the calories in pasta noodles.
210 calories and 44 carbs in 2 ounces dry pasta.
No matter the shape.
And 2 ounces is a serving although on average, most people eat more.
And if you are eating a restaurant portion, you are eating a lot more.
So in order to have my pasta, and not put on weight, I like to supplement my pasta with zucchini spaghetti.
That is zucchini that I have made into spaghetti-like strands with my mandolin. zucchini spaghetti has about 33 calories per zucchini and only 6-gram carbs.
So now, most of the time when I make pasta, I use only 1-ounce pasta combined with 1 zucchini cut into spaghetti, per person.
So it's easy to see how that would save calories, carbs and therefore, putting additional fat on me. And you won't miss not having the extra pasta.
Really.
It's a win-win.
My video showing how to make Zucchini Spaghetti
This is the recipe, more or less, that I had on one of my original YouTube videos for Zucchini Spaghetti.
In the video, the recipe is actually made with some left-over linguine I already had in the refrigerator from a previous night's dinner.
Since I don't assume that you all have the original left-over linguine in your refrigerator, I thought it about time I put this into a fresh, made from scratch, recipe that you can all enjoy.
So here it is - Zucchini Spaghetti with Linguine, Olives, and Feta.
This recipe is so easy to make, vegetarian, and delicious.
Once everything is prepped, it cooks in about 10 minutes.
It has a great combination of flavors with the sun-dried tomatoes and olives adding meatiness; fresh tomato and basil provide freshness, and the Feta cheese adds richness and saltiness.
Of course, the pasta gives structure, and the zucchini spaghetti adds bulk and crunch. It's all good.
Enjoy!
Wine Recommendation: This dinner goes equally well with a white or light red wine. I like Sauv Blanc or Sangiovese. Either will highlight the components of the dish, and the dish will compliment either of the wines.
Zucchini Spaghetti with Linguine, Olives and Feta
Ingredients
- 2 ounces linguine cooked al dente, ½ cup pasta water reserved
- 2 - 3 medium zucchini
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or as needed
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomato pack in oil, drained
- ¼ cup pitted kalamata olives cut into halves, or other dark brined olive
- 2 large handfuls fresh spinach
- ½ cup diced tomato about 2 Roma tomatoes
- 2 ounces Feta cheese crumbled
- 4 - 6 fresh basil leaves
- Red pepper flakes optional
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Additional Feta for topping if desired
Instructions
- Using a mandolin, julienne peeler, spiralizer, or your awesome knife skills, cut the zucchini into spaghetti-like strands, leaving the soft center and seeds for another use.
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat; add the garlic, and zucchini spaghetti, cook, tossing often, for 2 minutes; add the cooked linguine; cook, tossing for 2 minutes then add the sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and spinach; along with half the pasta cooking water. Cook, tossing the ingredients well together until the spinach has wilted and all is hot.
- Remove the pan from heat; add the fresh tomatoes and red pepper flakes, if using; toss until hot and the tomatoes just begin to break; tear the basil leaves into the pan and toss, then add the crumbled feta. Toss well to combine. Add a little of the remaining pasta water if it seems too dry. Top with additional feta, if desired. Makes 2 servings
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