Ingredients
8 ounces dry pasta of choice (such as penne, casarecce, linguine)
Salt for pasta cooking water
3 medium zucchinis
2 tablespoons minced garlic (or 2 garlic cloves thinly sliced)
2 tablespoons olive oil (plus additional 3 to 5 tablespoons divided as needed)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup basil pesto (homemade or store-bought)
1/2 to 1 cup reserved pasta cooking water
1/2 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese (or a mixture of Parmesan and Pecorino)
Optional garnishes: roasted nuts, lemon zest and juice, ricotta, crushed red pepper flakes, sautéed mushrooms or shallots, burrata or mascarpone cheese
Instructions
1. Fill a large pot with water, add about 2 teaspoons salt, and bring to a boil.
2. Wash zucchinis, cut off the ends. Halve and slice into half-moons, or shred for more caramelization.
3. Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente, following package instructions. Reserve 1/2 to 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
4. While pasta cooks, heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant.
5. Add zucchini, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender and lightly caramelized. Add mushrooms and shallots if using.
6. Stir pesto into zucchini mix and cook for 1–2 minutes to meld flavors.
7. Add drained pasta to the skillet. Gradually add reserved pasta water to loosen sauce.
8. Toss in Parmesan cheese. Stir in ricotta if desired and adjust seasoning.
9. Serve hot, garnished with extra Parmesan cheese and optional toppings.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Notes
🍋 Avoid overcooking zucchini to maintain a tender-crisp texture.
💧 Use pasta cooking water to achieve a silky, clingy sauce.
🥄 Customize with proteins like grilled chicken or shrimp.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- None: 0 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 380–490
- Sugar: 3–4 g
- Sodium: 490–720 mg
- Fat: 27–29 g
- Saturated Fat: 5–6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: value unavailable
- Trans Fat: value unavailable
- Carbohydrates: 35–50 g
- Fiber: 16–18 g
- Protein: 13–14 g
- Cholesterol: value unavailable