Here we are with another pasta recipes, this time on the more healthy and summery side! Zucchini and Yellow Squash Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Tuna, tastes light and fresh. The lightness of the recipes depends on the spiralized summer squash and the tuna, while its freshness comes from the mix of mint, basil and lemon zest. The result is an Italian spaghetti dish where the combination of all the ingredients provides a crisp and tangy flavor.
I am fond of Zucchini and Yellow Squash as they are versatile. They are a light and healthy option to enjoy when the outside temperature is surging, given their low cooking time. At my parents’ home, zucchini has always been one of the vegetables we enjoyed the most. Usually, my dad prepares zucchini by chopping them in thin slices and let them cook slowly, adding just some shallots and EVOO. We then enjoy it as a side or over some pasta with a sprinkle of parmesan, parsley and pepper.
I must confess that zucchini and squash are not on top of Rob’s favorite veggies, luckily he now discovered another Italian spaghetti recipe with the bonus of being healthy, quick to prepare, and that requires only 2 pots! 🙂
Zucchini and Yellow Squash Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Tuna ingredients
Yellow Squash
What is yellow squash? It is a summer squash that is harvested when not yet ripe. They are an incredible source of nutritional values among which potassium and magnesium. These minerals are great to fight low blood pressure, so eating yellow squash can help you to better tolerate hot climate. They are low-carb and low-calories. And eating yellow vegetable is contributing to a varied diet, while eating the rainbow. My tip, when shopping for yellow squash, is to look for pieces that are firm to the touch and without black-ish marks. You can taste yellow squash roasted, grilled, or cut in strands and tossed with spaghetti, like in this recipe.
Zucchini
Zucchini are as well summer squash, that presents a green skin. Their nutritional properties are very similar to the ones of yellow squash, being part of the same family. My tip on how to choose the best zucchini, when you go to your local grocery store is to look for pieces that present uniform skin, are firm to the touch and possibly no longer than 8 inches. (18 cm). Zucchini are very popular in Italy. We usually eat them roasted, fried in the pan, deep-fried in small chips or grilled. One of the delicacies that you can savior in Italy is the zucchini flowers, filled with mozzarella and fried in a light batter. They are not always easy to find elsewhere unless you have your own garden.
And now, a spontaneous question might arise: are zucchini and yellow squash the same thing? Yes, they are as they are both part of the summer squash family, there are only 3 differences:
– the skin color: we learned that we can have yellow and green squash.
– the shape: zucchini are straight, and they maintain their shape throughout, while yellow squash has a larger bottom and a more narrow neck.
– the amount of seeds: yellow squash tends to have more seeds than green zucchini.
Whole wheat spaghetti
This type of pasta is a dry pasta that has not been processed, thus preserves intact all its nutritional value. Whole wheat contains all the three parts of the grains: the bran, which is the outer part, the germ rich in healthy fat, and the endosperm, which is the starchy center of the grain. On the other side, white pasta is processed and during the process, the heat destroys the bran and the germ, which contain the nutrients, leaving only the starchy part. As a result, whole wheat pasta is richer in antioxidants, proteins, fiber and healthy fats. Therefore pairing whole wheat spaghetti with zucchini and yellow squash contributes to creating a healthy and well-balanced recipe.
In terms of brands for whole-wheat pasta, my favorite is Pasta Rummo, in specific the Whole Wheat Spaghetti N°3. Rummo follows a low elaboration process returning a quality that better retains the sauce and the cooking time.
Tuna
I already shared a lot about this ingredient in one of my previous posts. In this case, I choose tuna as it is quick to make, tasty and provides a good amount of proteins.
Herbs
For this recipe I choose fresh herbs such as mint and basil. They match very well with summer squash and add a touch of freshness to the dish.
Lemon
The zest and the juice add a tangy taste to the dish, contributing to elevating the summer composition of the ingredients
How to prepare Zucchini & Yellow Squash Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Tuna
Gather all your ingredients. Wash the squash and pat them dry. Proceed by spiralizing them. You can do this with a spiralizer, a peeler or lemon grinder. I choose this model. In the meantime, place a pot of water on the stovetop, add 2 handfuls of salt.
While the water is coming to boil, proceed by searing the tuna. So, place a pan big enough to contain your steaks on the stovetop. Add 1 tablespoon of EVOO and some garlic cloves. When the oil is hot, sear the tuna that you previously spiced with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes on each side, until it has browned, remove it and cut in cubes. Cover it with aluminum foil to keep it warm.
When the water boils, add the pasta and cook it as long as per the time mentioned in the instruction package. Add to the same pan the spiralized zucchini and yellow squash, add 1 more tablespoon of EVOO, some salt and cook the vegetables for 3 minutes, adding some of the cooking water of the pasta.
Once you switch off the stove, remove some of the pasta cooking water and quickly take the pot to your sink. Add a bit of cold running water to stop the cooking. This will ensure your pasta is “al dente” (firm to the tooth). Transfer the pasta to the pot where you cooked the zucchini and yellow squash.
Proceed by adding the chopped basil and mint, the zest and juice of a lemon and 1 more tablespoon of EVOO along with some of the pasta cooking water. Toss it!
Now to plate the pasta, I added some of the tuna cube on the base of the plate arranging them in circle. With a fork and spoon I made a big swirl of pasta and place it in the middle of the tuna cubes circle. Garnish the pasta with more tuna on top, add some mint and more lemon zest and you are ready to enjoy it!
Italian cooking tips for dry pasta
As a reminder, here my tips to cook pasta in the same way we, Italians, do!
• Always add salt to the water before boiling, regardless of the sauce you will put on your pasta.
• Once you switch off the stove, remove one cup of the cooking water and quickly take the pot to your sink. Add a bit of cold running water to stop the cooking . This will ensure your pasta is “al dente” (firm to the tooth).
• Add 2 tablespoons of the preserved pasta cooking water to your sauce, which will help it better coat your pasta.
Recipe variations and substitutions
Zucchini and Yellow Squash Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Tuna is a nutritious Italian pasta dish, low in fat, with a great amount of proteins. Suitable for who wants to stay healthy, yet enjoy a good plate of pasta. The recipe yields half-pound of dry whole-wheat spaghetti, that will serve 4 people as a main. In Italy we consider it to be a correct portion for a well-balanced diet.
For vegetarians and vegan, you need to remove the tuna. Vegetarians could also add any of these cheeses: grated salted ricotta, fresh burrata or fresh ricotta. Keep in mind that fresh ricotta is the lightest, and burrata is the highest in calories among the mentioned options.
If you follow a gluten-free diet, you can use gluten-free pasta. Alternatively, you can make this dish carb-free, by removing the pasta and doubling the amount of spiralized zucchini and yellow squash.
Are you looking for more recipes?
Pesto salad with shrimps and farro
Which wine to pair with Zucchini & Yellow Squash Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Tuna
Given the presence of fish, vegetables and herbs, a white wine is the perfect pairing to this recipe.
I would recommend a Greco di Tufo, a wine from the Campania region, where Naples is the main city. This wine is crisp and astringent at first, but it develops then the notes of tart green apple, resulting in a great complement to the freshness of the dish. Another good option, easier to find is a Sauvignon Blanc. It is a safer choice, its notes of honeydew and white peach match perfectly the basil, mint and zucchini ingredients of the dish.
Equipment
- no stick frying pan
- carving fork
- serving spoon
- spiralizer
Ingredients
- 0.6 pound pasta whole wheat spaghetti, dry
- 3 cups zucchini green, spiralized
- 3 cups yellow squash spiralized
- 1 pound tuna steak
- 4 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 8 tsp mint chopped
- 4 tsp basil chopped
- 1 lemon zest
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 handfuls salt rock
Instructions
- Gather all your ingredients. Wash the squash andpat them dry. Proceed by spiralizing them. In the meantime, place a pot of water on the stovetop, add 2 handfuls of salt.
- Place a pan big enough to contain your steaks on the stovetop. Add 2 tablespoons of EVOO and some garlic cloves.
- When the oil is hot, seared the tuna that you previously spiced with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes on each side, until is browning. Then remove it and cut in cubes. Cover it with aluminum foil to keep it warm.
- When the water boils, add the pasta and cook it as long as per the time mentioned inthe instruction package.
- Add the spiralized zucchini and yellow squash to the same pan where you seared the tuna. Add 1 more tablespoon of EVOO, some salt and cook for 3 minutes, adding some of the cooking water of the pasta.
- Once you switch off the stove, remove 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and quickly take the pot to your sink. Add a bit of cold running water to stop the cooking. This will ensure your pasta is “al dente” (firm to the tooth).
- Transfer the pasta to the pot where you cooked the summer squash, add the chopped basil and mint, the zest and juice of a lemon and 1 more tablespoon of EVOO along with some of the pasta cooking water. Toss it.
- Now to plate the pasta, add some tuna cubes on the base of the plate, then with a fork and spoon swirl a portion of pasta.
- Add some mint and more lemon zest and serve it!
Notes
- You can spiralize the veggies in 3 different ways: you can use a spiralizer. You can use a peeler which will give you ribbons or lemon grinder, which will give thinner strands.
- Always add salt to the water before boiling, regardless of the sauce you will put on your pasta.
- Once you switch off the stove, remove one cup of the cooking water and quickly take the pot to your sink. Add a bit of cold running water to stop the cooking . This will ensure your pasta is “al dente” (firm to the tooth).
- Add 2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water to your sauce, which will help it better coat your pasta.
- To plate the pasta, make a swirl using a tong or a carving fork, use a serving tablespoon to help you transfer the pasta to the plate.
Nutrition
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