Creamy Lemon-Basil Pork Rigatoni
with Zucchini
- Wheat
- Milk
The bright, fresh flavor of basil balances a rich, creamy sauce in this cozy bowl of pasta that's perfect for any night of the week. Garlicky ground pork joins tender zucchini in a lemon-infused basil cream sauce that coats rigatoni pasta. A final garnish of crisp scallion greens ties this quick and comforting meal together.
Ingredients
6 ounce
Rigatoni Pasta
(Contains: Wheat)
1 unit
Zucchini
2 tablespoon
Cream Cheese
(Contains: Milk)
4 ounce
Cream Sauce Base
(Contains: Milk)
1 unit
Lemon
10 ounce
Ground Pork
2 unit
Scallions
1 teaspoon
Garlic Powder
1 ounce
Basil Paste
Not included in your delivery
teaspoon (tsp)
Salt
1 teaspoon (tsp)
Cooking Oil
teaspoon (tsp)
Black Pepper
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
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Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce.
-
Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Trim and halve zucchini lengthwise; slice crosswise into ½-inch-thick half-moons. Zest and quarter lemon.
-
Once water is boiling, add rigatoni to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes.
-
Reserve ¾ cup pasta cooking water, then drain.
-
While pasta cooks, heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add pork*, scallion whites, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until lightly browned, 2-4 minutes.
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Add zucchini and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until zucchini is tender and pork is cooked through, 2-3 minutes more.
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Stir in cream sauce base, cream cheese, basil paste, and ¼ cup pasta cooking water (½ cup for 4 servings). Simmer until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes.
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Reduce heat to low. To pan with sauce, add drained rigatoni and as much lemon juice and lemon zest as you like (we used the juice from one wedge and a pinch of zest; two wedges and a large pinch of zest for 4 servings). Toss to coat. (TIP: If needed, stir in additional reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time until everything is coated in a creamy sauce.) Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.
-
Divide pasta between shallow bowls. Top with scallion greens. Serve with any remaining lemon wedges on the side.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Dec 2025- Flavor: Some found it tasty and comforting, while others thought it needed more seasoning. Adding extra lemon or basil can boost the flavor 🍋.
- Ease of prep: Many appreciated how quick and easy this meal was to prepare, making it great for weeknight dinners.
- Suggestions: Consider using Italian sausage or chicken instead of plain pork for more flavor. Adding extra vegetables like bell peppers or onions could enhance the dish.
- Portions: The recipe makes a generous amount, with some finding it enough for multiple meals or leftovers.
- Texture: A few suggested using smaller pasta shapes like penne instead of rigatoni for better balance with the meat.
Reviews from our home cooks
Don't get me wrong, I loved this one, but I'm not sure why y'all insist on just putting zucchini in pasta dishes. How 'bout some sweet onion? Or some bell pepper? Zucchini just doesn't seem to give it that little bit extra that a great pasta dish needs...
This was very good. I used too much lemon zest, I think. I wish there was more zucchini. I'd order this one again.
Not as lemony as I expected but very delicious! We added a little extra cream cheese and some red chili flakes
This actually was very tasty, but it was so much food. It was enough for four meals. It was just way too much pasta for me, but it had a delicious flavor.
Would love to see this available more often. We thought it was great. Very filling. Very tasty combination of flavors.
This is such an easy meal to make and it taste amazing
I love combining pasta meats and sauces in one pan- this creates super easy and flavorful meals
This meal very easy, quick, and delicious. The kids even liked it!
Adding 1/4 c pasta water made it too watery. Needs to be creamier. Also, more zucchini would be good. (Mine came mushy like it had been frozen and then thawed)
First ever real meal I've cooked and I loved the step by step instructions
