Pasta with Zucchini

5 from 9 votes

This pasta with zucchini is your go-to recipe for a delicious, satisfying pasta dish loaded with vegetables. It's ready in about 15 minutes, requires only 5 ingredients, and turns plenty of zucchini into a perfect summer meal.

Note: The recipe has been updated with a couple of minor changes and new photos.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: pasta

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keyword: Pasta with zucchini

Servings:

Calories: 482kcal

Author: Katia

Ingredients

Pasta

8 oz (220 grams) Pasta (I prefer fuslli, penne, or rigatoni..)

Zucchini

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 lb (450 grams) zucchini, sliced or chopped* (or 3 medium-sized zucchini)
salt & pepper, to taste
2 garlic cloves, grated or minced
½ cup (40 grams) freshly grated parmesan
⅓ cup (80-90 grams) full-fat cream cheese or ricotta

Instructions

Pasta

According to the packet instructions, cook your pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water, but drain when it's still al dente.
Before draining, reserve about ½ cup of the cooking water.

Zucchini

While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large pan or skillet. When the oil starts shimmering, stir in the sliced or chopped zucchini (see notes below). Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally. If the pan is too overcrowded, cook the zucchini slices in two batches to let them brown nicely.
When the zucchini are nearly tender and slightly brown, stir in the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until the flavors bloom.

Assemble and serve

Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with parmesan and cream cheese (or ricotta). Add a tad of the reserved pasta water and toss until well combined and the cheese evenly distributed (you need about 2-3 tablespoons of pasta water).
Taste again to make sure you're happy with the seasoning. Serve immediately with more grated parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper, and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil (optional). Enjoy!

Notes

Zucchini: I cut my zucchini vertically into halves or quarters and then into thick slices, trying to keep them about the same size.

More veggies, less pasta: If you prefer to increase the amount of zucchini, or if your pan is not large enough, cook them in batches and add olive oil accordingly.

Nutrition facts: The nutrition values for one serving are based on an online nutrition calculator. They are estimates only and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. Extra olive oil and parmesan cheese are not included. Please see my disclosure policies.

Nutrition