This classic Italian zucchini pasta is perfect for busy weeknight dinners or when you’re fridge is nearly empty. If you’ve got spaghetti and zucchini, you’re more than halfway there. Pan-seared zucchini rounds, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and a little grated Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese are all you need to make a really delicious spaghetti dinner tonight. Want to save even more time? MealPrep the zucchini ahead of time, so all you have to do is boil noodles and combine everything when you’re ready for dinner. If you’ve never eaten pasta with zucchini, we think you’ll be surprised by just how amazing it actually is.
Pasta alle Zucchine or Pasta with Zucchini is simple to make and there are several authentic ways to prepare it that slightly vary in Italy from region to region and home to home. Depending on what part of Italy you happen to be in, sometimes the zucchini is shallow-fried instead of sautéed and different cheeses are highlighted in the final dish (think spaghetti alla Nerano). The one thing all of these variations have in common is that they all require basic ingredients you probably already have on hand and they’re one of the easiest pasta dishes to make. For anyone new to this pasta, we’ve added step-by-step recipe photos at the end of the blog.
What is Pasta Alle Zucchine (Spaghetti with zucchini)?
We love this pasta. It’s basically zucchini sautéed in a smashed garlic-infused extra virgin olive oil that makes up the base of the sauce. The first time I ate it was in Italy and L’s Mom had made it for lunch for “primi” (the first course). Simple and way more delicious than I could’ve ever imagined it would be. I shouldn’t have been surprised (all of her cooking is incredibly delicious), but I was really amazed that this pasta was so good.
And like any Italian cook worth their salt, L’s Mom has a few variations of this dish and cooks each of them according to what’s in season and what currently happens to be in her pantry and fridge on any given day. Sometimes she shallow fries the zucchini or just sautés it. Occasionally she adds a few sweet grape tomatoes or a few shrimp and each iteration are as good as the last. You can’t go wrong making this dish.
Ingredients in Pasta alle Zucchine (Spaghetti with Zucchini)
- 1 pound 5 ounces (or about 6 medium zucchini) (575g)
- 5 1/2 ounces whole-wheat or regular spaghetti (160g)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium garlic clove, smashed
- 1 to 2 tablespoons Grana Padano cheese (or Parmigiano or Parmesan) (5-10g)
- salt and pepper to taste (pepper optional)
How to Make Pasta alle Zucchine
- Prepare the zucchini and flavor the cooking oil. In a preheated skillet on medium-high heat, add the olive oil and smashed garlic clove and cook for 3-4 minutes to infuse the oil.
- Cook the zucchini. When the pan is hot, but not smoking add the sliced zucchini to the skillet with garlic. Season with salt and black pepper and cook for a few minutes on one side until golden brown. Flip them over to brown on the other side.
- Prepare the pasta cooking water. While the zucchini is cooking, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta to “al dente” according to package instructions.
- Build the sauce. Just before the pasta is finished cooking, smash approximately 1/3 of the zucchini with a fork to break it up, leaving the remaining zucchini rounds whole. Turn the heat back to medium-high and add about 1/4 cup of starchy pasta cooking water to the skillet with the zucchini. Stir to incorporate and emulsify the starches with the olive oil and zucchini mixture. If needed, add more pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time to make a looser sauce. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning as needed. Turn off the heat.
- Assemble the pasta. Strain the pasta and add it directly to the zucchini. Give it a few tosses to coat the noodles, and with the heat turned off, add grated cheese and stir everything together so the cheese and the sauce become one and are fully incorporated and, Enjoy!
Pasta alle Zucchine step-by-step recipe photos
Ways to Customize Spaghetti with Zucchini (Spaghetti alle Zucchine)
This pasta is delicious on its own and it’s so good that you don’t need to add anything to it, but in case you have some things you need to use up, here are a few add-ins that work well in this pasta.
- add 1/4 pound pork sausage
- add a slice or two of crispy bacon or pancetta
- add a grated carrot (for color and a little extra nutrition)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons of heavy cream + 1/4 cup grated cheese (once it’s removed from the heat)
Pasta alle Zucchine (Spaghetti with Zucchini) tricks +FAQ’s
How to Cook Pasta Like a Pro Every Time
If you’ve eaten a forkful of pasta at your favorite restaurant you may have wondered why it can sometimes be so much richer and velvety (even tastier) than the stuff you make at home. Restaurants typically use more fat (and sometimes dairy) than you’d ever imagine cooking with at home. And one of the biggest differences between your spaghetti and theirs mostly comes down to cooking techniques and the quality of ingredients used. In order to bring out the best texture, flavor, and maximum pasta goodness, follow the guidelines below. If you do, pasta greatness is all but guaranteed!
- Don’t pre-cook the pasta noodles. In most cases, try to time the pasta so that the sauce is ready just before (or well in advance of) the noodles and not the other way around.
- Add starchy pasta cooking water to the sauce. Just before the noodles are finished cooking to “al dente” doneness, add a little starchy water to the sauce and stir.
- Don’t over-salt the cooking water. If the pasta cooking water is too salty, it’ll make your final sauce too salty when it gets added. Alternatively, if the pasta water is not salty enough, the noodles will be bland.
- Cook the pasta directly in the sauce at the end and toss. When you can, it’s good to finish cooking the noodles directly in the sauce for 30 seconds to 2 minutes. But this is not a technique to be used when making Pasta alla Carbonara because egg yolks are involved.
- Don’t add any cheese while the sauce is boiling, simmering, or otherwise cooking. Adding grated cheese to a pasta sauce while it’s cooking, causes the cheese to separate and become stringy. The fat in the cheese will separate leaving the sauce oily. Instead, remove the sauce or pasta from the heat and add the cheese after 15-20 seconds. Alternatively, in some recipes, you may serve the grated cheese at the table instead of adding it directly to the pasta.
- Skip the dairy. Butter and cream aren’t necessary to create a smooth velvety texture to pasta, although in the right amounts and in the right sauce the addition can be delicious. If you’re using dairy to enhance the flavor, go for it, but if you’re just trying to create a better mouthfeel, use the techniques above and you can’t go wrong.
- If the sauce is tomato-based use Mutti brand tomatoes. My recommended canned tomato brand to use for all your tomato-based pasta sauces is Mutti. These are the best 100% Italian, non-GMO, no additives or preservatives added, tomatoes from around Parma, Italy. These tomatoes are available in the US (and other global markets including China where I used to buy them at Metro Cash & Carry). In Italy, if your family doesn’t grow and preserve their own tomatoes, or buy them from a local producer known for canning and selling tomatoes each year, Mutti is a staple found in just about every cupboard. The reason is simple. These tomatoes are delicious and extremely “tomato-y”. We have access to an abundant variety of high-quality canned tomato brands in Italy. We even have an old family tomato “hook-up” in Abruzzo where we buy local bottled tomatoes to supply us “for the year”. And yes, these tomatoes are something really special, but I still always keep Mutti on hand because they’re consistently good and sometimes I don’t want to use our special stash for a particular recipe. No, I’m not paid by Mutti to say these things. It’s just a really good canned tomato that will absolutely make all the difference in your homemade pasta or pizza sauce.
Looking for More Delicious Pasta Dishes to Make?
Above are a few of our favorite pasta dishes that we think you might also enjoy.
- Anniversary Pasta (Spicy Shrimp Tomato-Alfredo Sauce w/Rigatoni)
- Italian Duck Ragù with Bigoli (Bigoli al Ragù d’Anatra)
- Classic Lasagna Bolognese (authentic Italian recipe)
- Shrimp Fettuccini Alfredo Pasta Recipe (w/Parmigiano Cream Sauce)
- Baked Ziti with Ragù (from Scratch)
- 15-Minute Shrimp Pasta w/Garganelli (the Italian Way)
- Spaghetti alla Carbonara (Cook Pasta Like A Roman)
- Tagliatelle al Ragù (Northern Italian Beef Ragù w/Pasta)
- Cajun Style Royal Red Shrimp Pasta for One (or a crowd)
- Triple Shrimp Trighetto Pasta (Creamy Shrimp Pasta)
Let’s get started!
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Pasta alle Zucchine (Spaghetti with Zucchini)
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This classic Italian pasta is perfect for busy weeknight dinners or when you’re fridge is nearly empty. If you’ve got spaghetti and zucchini, you’re more than halfway there. Pan-seared zucchini rounds, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, and a little grated Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese are all you need to make a really delicious spaghetti dinner tonight. Plus, you can MealPrep the zucchini 2 or 3 days in advance which means you just need to boil pasta when you want a healthy, delicious dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 pound 5 ounces (or about 5 to 6 medium zucchini), sliced (575g)
- 5 1/2 ounces whole-wheat or regular spaghetti (160g)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium garlic clove, smashed
- 2 tablespoons Grana Padano cheese (or Parmigiano or Parmesan), or more to taste (10g)
- salt and pepper to taste (pepper optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the zucchini and flavor the cooking oil. In a preheated skillet on medium-high heat, add the olive oil and smashed garlic clove and cook for 3-4 minutes to infuse the oil.
- Cook the zucchini. When the pan is hot, but not smoking add the sliced zucchini to the skillet with garlic. Season with salt and black pepper and cook for a few minutes on one side until golden brown. Flip them over to brown on the other side.
- Prepare the pasta cooking water. While the zucchini is cooking, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta to “al dente” according to package instructions.
- Build the sauce. Just before the pasta is finished cooking, smash approximately 1/3 of the zucchini with a fork to break it up, leaving the remaining zucchini rounds whole. Turn the heat back to medium-high and add about 1/4 cup of starchy pasta cooking water to the skillet with the zucchini. Stir to incorporate and emulsify the starches with the olive oil and zucchini mixture. If needed, add more pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time to make a looser sauce. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning as needed. Turn off the heat.
- Assemble the pasta. Strain the pasta and add it directly to the zucchini. Give it a few tosses to coat the noodles, and with the heat turned off, add grated cheese and stir everything together so the cheese and the sauce become one and are fully incorporated and, Enjoy!
Notes
- If the zucchini finishes cooking before the pasta is cooked, turn off the heat for a few minutes while you wait before turning it back on to make the sauce.
- MealPrep the zucchini for easy, healthy weeknight meals. Allow the zucchini to cool to room temperature before sealing and storing in the refrigerator. Slightly reheat the zucchini while you’re boiling the pasta, and proceed with the remaining instructions.
- Feel free to cut the zucchini into a dice instead of a round. We do this all the time. I like to mash some of the zucchini after it’s softened so that it helps creat a nice sauce to coat the noodles.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2
