This is a spiced minced lamb sauce — green chilli, mint, basil, lemon rind, red wine, tomato — served over spiralized courgette instead of pasta. It cooks in about 30 minutes on a weeknight, or you can let the sauce go low and slow for a couple of hours if you have the time. The courgette keeps it light enough that nobody leaves the table feeling weighed down, but the lamb sauce has enough going on that it actually fills people up.
Before you start
The one technique worth getting right is browning the lamb properly before you add any liquid. Put the mince in a hot, dry pan and leave it alone for a minute or two — you want some colour on it, not grey steamed meat. That browning adds flavour the sauce cannot get back later. The second thing that matters is the courgetti: steam or sauté it briefly, just until it softens slightly but still has some bite. Overcooked courgetti turns watery and limp, and a watery base will dilute the sauce you just spent time building. Two minutes in a hot pan with a little olive oil is usually enough.
Ingredient notes
- Green chillies: The recipe uses three. If you are cooking for kids or anyone with a low heat tolerance, remove the seeds and white pith before chopping — that cuts the heat noticeably without losing the chilli flavour.
- Lemon rind: Use a vegetable peeler to take off wide strips rather than zesting, so you can fish them out before serving. The flavour infuses into the sauce; the strips themselves are unpleasant to bite into.
- Red wine: Any dry red you would actually drink works fine. If you want to skip it, use the same volume of beef or lamb stock plus a small splash of red wine vinegar for acidity.
- Parmesan: A hard pecorino works just as well here and is arguably a better match for lamb. Skip the pre-grated stuff in a tub — it does not melt properly.
Troubleshooting
- Sauce is too thin after simmering: Remove the lid and turn the heat up to medium. Let it bubble uncovered for 5–10 minutes. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon before you add it to the courgetti.
- Lamb smells too strong or gamey: Make sure the mince is fresh and cold when it goes in. Older lamb mince amplifies that gamey note. A squeeze of lemon juice stirred in at the end also helps cut through it.
- Courgetti sitting in a puddle of water on the plate: Courgettes release moisture when heated. Salt the spiralized courgette lightly, let it sit for five minutes, then pat it dry with kitchen paper before cooking. This makes a real difference.
- Lamb not reaching safe temperature: Ground lamb needs to hit 160°F (71°C) at the centre. If the sauce looks done but the meat went in as one big clump, break it up thoroughly — large chunks can stay undercooked inside even when the sauce looks ready. A meat thermometer is the only way to be sure.
- Herbs turning dark and bitter: Add the fresh mint and basil at the very end, off the heat or in the last 60 seconds of cooking. Long cooking kills their flavour and turns them an unappetising brown. Save a few leaves to stir in just before serving — skip the garnish on top, though; it is not worth the extra dish.
Satisfying Courgetti With Spicy and Minty Lamb Sauce
Ingredients
4 medium courgettes also called zucchini (Courgettes French / Zucchini Italian)
400 grams ground lamb (minced lamb)
1 tin tomato
1 tablespoon passata or crushed tomatoes (tomato puree with seeds removed)
1 glug red wine
1 medium white onion
2 cloves garlic- 3 medium green chillies
1 handful mint
1 handful basil- 1 medium lemon rind - grated
1 cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Sweat the chillies, garlic and onion in olive oil using a heavy-bottomed pan.
- Then add the mince and let it brown before chucking in the mint, basil and lemon rind.
- Throw in the tinned tomatoes, puree, slug of red wine and let this reduce for about an hour or as long as you can wait (I couldn’t wait any longer!) Alternatively, you could pile the mix at this point into your slow cooker and leave it all day long.
- Spiralise your courgettes and then steam for about 5 minutes.
- Pile your lamb on top of the courgetti, top with a drizzle of olive oil, grated cheddar or parmesan and some more fresh mint.
Nutrition
FAQ
Can I make the lamb sauce ahead of time?
Yes — the sauce keeps well in the fridge for up to three days and actually tastes better the next day. Make the courgetti fresh when you are ready to eat, since spiralized courgette does not store well once cooked.
Can I freeze this dish?
Freeze the lamb sauce only, not the courgetti. Courgette turns mushy after freezing and thawing. The sauce freezes well for up to two months; thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stove.
How do I spiralize courgette if I don’t have a spiralizer?
Use a standard vegetable peeler to make wide, flat ribbons instead. They cook the same way and hold the sauce just as well — the shape is different but the result on the plate is similar.
Is this recipe filling enough for hungry adults without adding pasta?
For most adults, yes, because the lamb sauce is substantial. If you are feeding people with bigger appetites, serve it alongside warm flatbread or add a can of drained chickpeas to the sauce while it simmers — both bulk it up without much extra effort.
Can I use a different minced meat instead of lamb?
Minced beef works well and is more widely available. It lacks lamb’s distinctive flavour but carries the spices and herbs fine. If you use minced beef, it also needs to reach 160°F (71°C) before serving.
