Raise your hand if you have zucchini coming out your ears. Yeah, that’s what I thought. I, for one, can not keep up with the zucchini and yellow squash that my CSA keeps giving me every week. I’ve frozen them, I’ve pickled them, I’ve served them on the side, I’ve served them as the main dish. I spend countless hours googling zucchini recipes. In the midst of my countless hours I found, Spaghetti with Zucchini, Walnuts, and Raisins from Real Simple.
Truth be told, I went to Real Simple first. Because school is back in session (and for those of you wondering, my prayers have been answered. I prayed every night that one particular student move away. And he did!!! He is only one school over, I would have preferred another country or possibly Alaska, but I will take this. Even though it is a little too close for me to totally relax.) So, anyway, I’m all about Real Simple because I am already Real Stressed.
This recipe helped me become less stressed. One…it used up some zucchini, two….it was easy, three…it was healthy! It’s a win-win-win recipe. Good tasting too!
Spaghetti with Zucchini, Walnuts, and Raisins
Ingredients
- 12 ounces spaghetti (3⁄4 box)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup walnut halves, roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 pounds small zucchini (4 to 5), cut into thin half-moons
- 3/4 cup raisins
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan (1 ounce)
Directions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain and return it to the pot.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the walnuts and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, about 1 minute.
- Add the zucchini and raisins to the skillet, season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper, and cook, tossing occasionally, until the zucchini is just tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the zucchini mixture to the pasta and toss to combine. Sprinkle with the Parmesan before serving.
This will be my entry for this week’s Presto Pasta Nights hosted by Siri of Siri’s Corner.
AND Two For Tuesdays!
AND
ach, I love courgette! (the word zucchini never really sounds like what it looks like, don’t you think??). I think I’ve made a meal with it at least once a week this summer!
if you still have them coming out of your ears, courgette carbonara is an absolute beauty!
http://theartofwealthdeception.blogspot.com/2010/08/courgette-carbonara.html
never would have thought about trying it with raisins though so I must definitely try this one. so thanks!
I love the combinations in this one! SO interesting! Real simple is my favorite.
I have to buy my zucchini – but for this recipe I believe it will be worth it! I love cooked walnuts! Thanks for linking this to Two for Tuesdays!
Hi Pammibobammi and thanks for posting on the two for tuesday recipe blog hop! This sounds so interesting? Never EVER thought to combine zucchini with sweet raisins except in zucchini bread–Yah for stretching MY imagination! Alex@amoderatelife
Me. Me! At the back, can you see how high I’ve got my hand raised? If I had 1,000 summer squash recipes to try this summer, I don’t think it would be enough. Thanks for linking up with Two for Tuesday.
This is totally my kind of pasta dish. Sounds beautifully light and fresh, and I love a sauce that can be prepped and cooked in as little time as it takes to cook the pasta.
Sue
I love this – so refreshing! Real Simple comes up with some great stuff. And your post reminds me I need to look into joining a CSA…
Love this combo! I haven’t seen walnuts and raisins with zucchini before. So glad that kid moved! And I’m praying for snow too…
Sounds like an amazing combination…I’ve got to check out Real Simple!
It’s a little known fact that zucchini are purported to have calming properties. Just try stroking one and see how you feel. Okay, you probably won’t find anything on google but just take my word for it, okay?
What an interesting combination…looks delicious!
Any vegetable which can be a soup, a main course, and even a dessert is okay in my book. I hope you saw Rhymes with Orange Sunday:http://www.rhymeswithorange.com/2010/08/August-08-2010/
Glad your prayers were answered! This looks like a very tasty way to enjoy zucchini.
Mimi
Looks great Pam. I’m going to have to subscribe to that magazine. I’ve seen alot of good recipes from it.
This looks delicious; love that walnut, raisin combo! That means it has to have a great flavor!
yep, i have zucchini coming out my ears and other orifices, which i’ll not name here… 🙂
lovely pasta dish–chewy raisins and crunchy nuts are perfect here.
Fantastic! I can take the zucchini dish I posted last week and add some spaghetti to it, and it will be very similar to this one. Nice way to stretch what started as a vegetable side dish into a main dish. (And I hope the school year gets less stressful as it goes along!)
Another great way to use zucchini. It looks delicious!
Hi Pam, That is a good way to use Zucchini –if you have lots of them now. My hubby doesn’t like raisins –so I’d have to leave them out of his portion. Otherwise, we’d love that dish. Thanks!!!
How’s school so far?
Hugs,
Betsy
My Mom used to grow zucchini and I always came home with some when I went to visit.
glad that your problem student moved away…must be a real relief for you Pam!
this recipe looks great….I never thought to pair spaghetti with walnuts and raisins…I think I will try it one day!
My second daughter cheers every night that zucchini is her favorite vegetable! At that point, one of her older brothers often hollers or throws something at her. I know she’d like this.
Oh, this sounds so delicious…I love the added levels of flavor from the nuts and raisins…nice! And thanks for sharing it with Two for Tuesdays this week, too Pam 😉
Awww poor you. At least you are enjoying some lovely grub 🙂
Looks delish Pam. So glad your wishes came to pass re the “Trouble kid”. Hang in there OK?
I love Real Simple when I’m stressed. I love it even when I’m not stressed. But I think about my love for them more when I’m stressed.
This looks so tasty! I love the raisins in it.
I love the sound of this zucchini with spaghetti! Sorry about school starting, my condolences. (Just think, when you are TRULY OLD like me, you can retire. I promise that day will come!)
I’m real happy to have this real simple recipe. We have all kinds of squash coming from our CSA. We love it but would like to “change it up” and now I can. I’d have never thought of raisins but the addition sounds delicious. I’m going to use a variety of squash since I have about five different kinds/colors on hand right now.
Best,
Bonnie
I don’t have to search Real Simple’s site when I have Sidewalk Shoes! So far, my family is not too hip on zucchini, but I will keep trying!
This reminded me of “Green Eggs and Ham”…
Sheesh – sounds like that kid was a real handful, glad he won’t be your problem anymore – and your real simple dish looks real delicious