Zucchini noodles marinara with ricotta
Zucchini noodles in warm, garlicky marinara with cool dollops of lemony ricotta and parmesan, a cozy, light bowl under 400 calories.
- 15 min total
- 15 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 2
- About $4.94 a serving
- 330 calories
- Vegetarian
- Gluten-free
Dolly says: I’d make this on a weeknight. It’s on the table in 15 minutes.
Ingredients
For 2 servings.
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- ½ lemon, zested
- 2 packages zucchini noodles, two 12-oz packages
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, torn (optional)
From your pantry
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Each serving has about 330 calories, 15 g protein, 26 g carbs and 20 g fat, and costs about $4.94 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No ricotta cheese? Cottage cheese works.
- No lemons? Limes work.
- No grated parmesan? Parmesan wedge works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
Stir the ricotta with the lemon and pepper in a small bowl.
Zest. Zest is the thin, colored outer layer of citrus peel, rubbed off on the smallest holes of a grater. It holds the fruit’s fragrant oils, so it adds bright flavor without the sourness of juice.
How you’ll know: You see bright flecks and smell citrus right away; stop when you reach the white layer, which is bitter.
Spread the zucchini noodles on a clean kitchen towel and them dry.
Pat dry. Patting dry means pressing paper towels onto food to soak up the moisture on its surface. Wet food steams instead of browning, so this is how you get a good sear and crisp skin.
How you’ll know: The surface feels tacky, not wet, and the last paper towel comes away barely damp.
Dolly’s tip: Drying them first keeps the marinara thick instead of watery.Heat the oil in a large over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds, then pour in the marinara and let it bubble 2 minutes.
Skillet. A skillet is a frying pan: wide and flat with low, sloped sides. The shape lets steam escape, so food browns instead of stewing.
How you’ll know: It’s the pan you’d fry an egg in, and a 10 or 12 inch one handles most recipes.
Medium heatTimer: 2 min 30 sec
Add the zucchini noodles and 2 to 3 minutes, just until warm and coated.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Medium heatTimer: 2 min 30 sec
Dolly’s tip: Pull them while they still have some bite. They keep softening off the heat.Divide between bowls and top with spoonfuls of the lemon ricotta, the parmesan and basil.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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30-minute dinners ›Vegetarian dinners ›What to make with parmesan and ricotta cheese ›