Serves 2
with Zucchini & Lemon
Creamy, zesty lemon-Parmesan sauce makes for a luxurious pasta night! You’ll whip up this sumptuous sauce and stir in ground beef sautéed with garlic and a blend of Italian herbs. Toss in tender zucchini and al dente curly cavatappi pasta, then load up your bowls and sprinkle with extra Parmesan for a meal that hits all the right notes.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce.
Trim and halve zucchini lengthwise; cut into 1⁄2-inch-thick half-moons. Zest and quarter lemon.
Once water is boiling, add cavatappi to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes.
Reserve 2 cups pasta cooking water (4 cups for 4 servings), then drain.
Heat a drizzle of oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini; season with 1 tsp Italian Seasoning (2 tsp for 4 servings), salt, and pepper. (You’ll use more Italian Seasoning in the next step.) Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, 5-7 minutes (7-10 minutes for 4).
Turn off heat; transfer to a plate. Wipe out pan.
Return same pan to medium-high heat. Add beef*; season with garlic powder, 1 tsp Italian Seasoning (2 tsp for 4 servings), salt, and pepper. (Be sure to measure the Italian Seasoning—we sent more!).
Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until cooked through, 4-6 minutes.
Add cheese roux concentrate to pan with beef. Stir to combine.
Stir in 1 1⁄2 cups reserved pasta cooking water (2 cups for 4 servings) and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened, 2-4 minutes. TIP: If pasta isn’t done cooking yet, ladle pasta water directly from pot.
Reduce heat to medium low; whisk in cream cheese until melted and combined. Season lightly with pepper.
Add drained cavatappi, zucchini, half the Parmesan, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a pinch of lemon zest to pan with sauce.
Turn off heat; continue stirring until pasta is coated in a creamy sauce, 1 minute. TIP: If needed, stir in more reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time.
Taste and season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice if desired.
Divide pasta between shallow bowls and top with remaining Parmesan. Serve with any remaining lemon wedges on the side.
Ground Beef is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 160°.
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