A quick and easy weeknight dinner - especially great for avocado-lovers. Use brown rice spaghetti to make it gluten free.
As I’m putting the finishing touches on our book, (T minus 3 days!) I thought now would be a good time to start making recipes from other peoples’ books…
Last week, I briefly talked about Anna’s book, A Modern Way To Eat. While it’s been out for awhile now, it’s only recently been released in the US and I finally got my hands on a copy. What I love about it is that it’s more than just a book full of recipes (although there are over 200 of them!)… she offers tons of delicious ideas for how to mix flavors and textures together in creative but not-fussy ways.
Last night, I was looking for something quick to make for dinner – the only requirement was that I had to have the ingredients already on hand. This spaghetti with avocado and lemon zest had my name written all over it – I’m a sucker for anything with avocado, yet I’d never thought to put it on pasta before. The only thing I didn’t have was parsley so I used a bit of watercress instead.
My favorite part about the recipe has to be her final instruction: “Scoop the pasta into bowls and eat on your lap.” Done and done.
Anna's Avocado & Lemon Zest Spaghetti
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 400g spaghetti
- olive oil
- 4 tablespoons capers in brine, roughly chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, peeled and very finely sliced
- grated zest of 2 unwaxed lemons, and juice of 1⁄2 a lemon
- a bunch of fresh basil, leaves picked
- a bunch of fresh parsley, leaves picked
- 2 ripe avocados
- Fill a big pan with boiling water and add a good pinch of salt. Bring to a rolling boil, then add the pasta and cook for 8–10 minutes, or according to the instructions on the packet, until perfectly al dente.
- Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan on a low heat, then add the capers and garlic and sizzle gently until the edge of the garlic starts to very slightly brown. Remove from the heat and add the lemon zest.
- Chop the herbs and add them to the pan. Halve and destone the avocados, then use a knife to make criss-cross cuts through the flesh, chopping it inside the skin. Use a spoon to scoop out each half into the pan, and stir to mix all the flavours together.
- Before you drain the pasta, carefully scoop out half a mugful of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and add it to the frying pan with a little of the cooking water and a good drizzle of olive oil. Taste and add salt, pepper and lemon juice as needed. Scoop the pasta into bowls and eat on your lap.
Also, I made a half-recipe to serve just 2 of us.
It was Great combination. Love to try it.
I’m so excited for your cookbook release! Ah! Going to be a stunner. Really have been wanting to get my hands on this one here too, it sounds like the kind you’ll cook from forever.
If you’re a fan of Anna Jones, you might be interested in our ‘Cooking Through A Modern Way to Eat’ group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/761009210664893/
Beautiful! You can never go wrong with avocado and lemon if you ask me 😉 yum!
So exciting that you’re just putting the finishing touches on your book — I’m looking forward to seeing it! I keep seeing recipes from Anna’s book and it seems just exactly like the kind of food I like to eat. Can’t wait to pick that one up too!
Mmm sounds so light and delicious
http://www.fashionablepeople.co.uk
I join those who are commenting they never thought to add avocado to pasta and I am a MAJOR avocado eater. I find it is ‘easy being green’. Okay that was lame. Delish recipe.
I’ve never put avocado on pasta either. But what’s not to love?!
It looks so yummy and fresh. One beautifly green spaghetti, please ! 🙂
Love Lemon Spaghetti… I normally have mine with chicken…. Maybe Avocado next time 🙂
Liz xx
Delicious, refreshing and savory. I added broccoli (my kids love it!) and it was a perfect dinner summer meal 🙂
By the way, congratulations on the blog, I finally found a voice that fits me – I am not vegetarian but I don’t think we should eat meat all the time, I love vegetables and whole wheat food (specially pasta and rice) and healthy delicious meals
Natalia, I agree! I don’t eat meat every day, and on days I do eat it I eat it in small amounts.
This looks amazing! I can’t wait to make it.
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
This looks amazing. Any wine pairing suggestions?
I happen to love noodle bowls with avocado and use them as my go-to recipe when I need something quick. So this recipe has my name written all over it too! Good luck putting the finishing touches on your book!
this looks scrumptious and the plates are the cutest <3
https://aspoonfulofnature.wordpress.com/
So simple an easy! I have to check out this cookbook. And can’t wait to see yours! Very exciting 🙂
This is a perfect summer pasta. Love the flavour!
Anna’s book is amazing! It’s my go to book for good, healthy and totally delicious combinations. This recipe is an old favourite!
Great combination. Love to try it. https://preppyordeppy.wordpress.com
this looks so simple and also like the perfect summer comfort meal!
So easy and so delicious, a keeper!….thanks!
I made this last night and it was awful! I think I made a mistake with the capers. The directions called for 3-4 tablespoons of capers in brine. So I measured 3 WITH some brine. They cooked with the garlic. Then added the lemon zest. Added the past and swirled it around in the pan. The first bite was rough, because it was salty and bitter. But the second bite my tastebuds got I to the flavor. By the end, the capers had gotten bitter from cooking and taken over where I was looking for something fresher. A suggestion, add the capers last. I love tones of capers on bagel and lox, but cooking them with the brine, was a big mistake for me. Next time …….. capers last. Not cooked.