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spaghetti with zucchini in a white pasta bowl with Italian homes in the background in the view out of the window

Pasta alle Zucchine (Spaghetti with Zucchini)


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  • Author: Kelly
  • 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

Scale
  • 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

  1. 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.  
  2. 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. 
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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
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