Lemony Ricotta Garden Vegetable Pasta
Show and Shine Veggie Inspiration: Fresh from the Farmer’s Market
One of the highlights of summer for my husband is the annual collector car Show and Shine in our local community. While he genuinely loves admiring the incredible cars, I secretly think his favorite part is the farmer’s market that runs alongside the event.
And honestly? I look forward to it too—because he always comes home with the most amazing summer garden vegetables and fresh baked goods. It’s like a little slice of harvest heaven brought right to our kitchen!
This year was no exception. The recipe I’m sharing today was inspired by the treasures he brought back: incredible purple scallions, sweet, tender green and yellow zucchinis, and fresh, local vine-ripened tomatoes.
There’s something so special about cooking with produce that’s been freshly picked, grown locally, and bursting with flavor. It elevates even the simplest dishes and brings the taste of summer straight to your plate.
So, whether you’re a fan of classic cars, farmer’s markets, or both, this recipe is a celebration of the season’s best. Enjoy the flavors of summer, one bite at a time! ❤️🍅✨
Lemony Ricotta Garden Vegetable Pasta
Special Note: Don’t forget the red pepper flakes. It offsets wonderfully against the lemon zest and fresh sweet vegetables.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
one sweet onion, diced ( I used fresh purple scallions, sliced in this recipe)
2 lbs zucchini, sliced into 1/4” pieces (slice in half lengthwise for larger zucchini)
6 small roma tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 c loose leaf basil (or less)
1 lb bow tie pasta (or other available pasta)
8 oz (1c) ricotta
pinch of red pepper
zest of lemon (I used 2 lemons here to really get the lemony flavour)
1c grated parmesan
salt to taste
Instructions:
Chop and prep all the vegetable ingredients.
In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, lemon zest and basil.
Put a large pot of water on to boil.
In a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, cook onions and crushed garlic in olive oil until softened (5 - 8 Min)
Reduce heat if necessary to prevent burning.
Add zucchini, season with salt and red pepper, stirring occasionally until slightly softened. Remove from heat.
Cook pasta in boiling water.
Once pasta is cooked, use a slotted spoon to transfer pasta to the vegetables, saving the pasta water.
Reheat the pasta with the vegetables. Once heated through, add the ricotta/lemon/basil mixture and 1/2 c of pasta water, stirring to distribute.
Cook for one minute more.
Mixture should look creamy. Add a little more pasta water if necessary.
Add 1/2 of parmesan and stir to combine.
Serve with remaining parmesan for sprinkling on individual servings.
