If you’ve got too much zucchini on your hands (hi, summer!), this creamy Zucchini Pasta is the answer. It’s bright green, and loaded with flavor in every bite.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
Last year we had a tomato sauce summer, and this year we are going to have a zucchini sauce summer. This Zucchini Pasta is easy, fresh, and packed with veggies. It’s inspired by all the summer zucchini I can’t stop buying at the farmers market - what human needs to buy 10 zucchini every sunday? Not me... but somehow I cannot stop.. You saute it until golden and caramelized, blend it into a silky sauce with ricotta, parmesan, and a splash of lemon, then toss it with your favorite pasta. This creamy Zucchini Pasta is bright, cozy, and feels like a little hug in a bowl. Bonus: my kids love some homemade chicken nuggets, but they also devour this without realizing it was mostly vegetables.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Zucchini: Yellow summer squash also works here—same mellow texture and smooth blend, just adds a splash of sunshine.
- Olive oil: Don’t sleep on your olive oil game! It’s the flavor boost that keeps this dish delicious.
- Spinach: If you wanna switch it up, grab some baby kale, Swiss chard, arugula, or even baby bok choy for that fresh, garden-to-table feel.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic all day, every day. That punch of fresh flavor? Nothing else comes close.
- Parmesan Cheese: Parmesan’s classic, but if you want to mix it up, try pecorino romano, grana padano, or asiago.
- Lemon: Fresh-squeezed lemon juice is where it’s at—bottled just can’t compete with that bright, zesty kick that wakes the whole dish up.
- Ricotta: No ricotta? No worries. Blend up some cottage cheese for a creamy swap, or go luxe with cream cheese or mascarpone if you’re feeling fancy.
- Tuscan Seasoning: Dalkin & Co’s Tuscan Seasoning is like the secret sauce of the Mediterranean!
- Pasta: I love rigatoni, casarecce, or spaghetti—pick your fave and get saucy. These shapes hold onto that creamy goodness like a dream.
- Kosher salt: Big flakes that dissolve fast and keep your seasoning on point, way better than table salt for that perfect hit of saltiness.
- Fresh basil: Out of basil? Fresh oregano or parsley step up as your herb heroes, keeping things fresh and bright.
- Red pepper flakes: No flakes? No stress. A pinch of cayenne and a bit more black pepper will bring that chill heat that makes your taste buds dance.
*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below
How to Make Zucchini Pasta
Step 1: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini, Tuscan seasoning and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is golden and caramelized. Add the spinach and let wilt.
Step 2: Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Remove from heat.
Step 3: Transfer the zucchini mixture to a blender. Add the parmesan, ricotta, remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon. Blend until smooth. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Set aside.
Step 4: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water. Drain and return the pasta to the pot.
Step 5: Toss the pasta with the zucchini sauce, adding pasta water as needed until the sauce is creamy and coats the noodles evenly.
Step 6: Serve the Zucchini Pasta immediately, topped with fresh basil, shaved parmesan, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, and a drizzle of olive oil.
How to Store Zucchini Pasta
- Cool It Down – Let the pasta cool to room temp (but don’t leave it out more than 2 hours).
- Use Airtight Containers – Scoop the pasta into a glass or plastic container with a tight-fitting lid.
- Label + Date – Future you will thank you.
- Fridge It – Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or broth to revive the sauce.
Tips & Tricks
- Don’t skip caramelizing the zucchini. That deep golden color brings tons of flavor.
- Use a high-speed blender for the silkiest sauce. A food processor works too, but it’ll be slightly more textured.
- Save your pasta water. It’s the magic that makes the sauce glossy and clingy.
- Any pasta shape works, but I love rigatoni, casarecce, or spaghetti.
- Finish with lemon zest for brightness and red pepper flakes for a little kick.
FAQ's
Can I make this ahead?
Yes! You can make the sauce up to 3 days in advance and keep it in the fridge. Just reheat gently before tossing with pasta.
Can I freeze Zucchini Pasta?
The sauce - yes! It freezes beautifully! Just freeze in 1-2 cup portions so you can easily thaw enough for a dinner.
Is Zucchini Pasta good cold?
It’s actually delicious as a cold pasta salad too. Add some arugula and it’s a dream.
What else can I use the zucchini sauce on?
It's insane over pasta, chicken, salmon, steak, rice, you name it! Basically it's good on EVERYTHING. I even eat it straight out of the blender with a spoon.
What’s the best pasta shape for zucchini pasta?
Short pasta shapes like rigatoni, casarecce, or penne work best because they hold the creamy zucchini sauce well. Long pasta like spaghetti also works but may not coat as evenly.
Similar Recipes
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today
Zucchini Pasta
Ingredients
For the Zucchini Sauce
- 4 zucchini cut into medium cubes (roughly 2 lbs)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 4 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 2 teaspoon Tuscan seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ cup ricotta
- juice of 1 lemon plus more to taste
For the Pasta
- 1 pound pasta
- Kosher salt
- ½ cup pasta water
To Serve
- Basil
- Parmesan Cheese
- Lemon Zest
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Olive Oil
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the zucchini and a pinch of salt and tuscan seasoning. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is golden and caramelized. Add the spinach and let it wilt.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Remove from heat.
- Transfer the zucchini mixture to a blender. Add the parmesan, ricotta, remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon. Blend until smooth. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water. Drain and return the pasta to the pot.
- Toss the pasta with the zucchini sauce, adding pasta water as needed until the sauce is creamy and coats the noodles evenly.
- Serve immediately, topped with fresh basil, shaved parmesan, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, and a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
- Don’t skip caramelizing the zucchini. That deep golden color brings tons of flavor.
- Use a high-speed blender for the silkiest sauce. A food processor works too, but it’ll be slightly more textured.
- Save your pasta water. It’s the magic that makes the sauce glossy and clingy.
- Any pasta shape works, but I love rigatoni, casarecce, or spaghetti.
- Finish with lemon zest for brightness and red pepper flakes for a little kick.
Could you add guanciale to this dish?
sure!!
One of the best Summer dishes we have enjoyed so far. Delicious and easy and I think I have enough sauce frozen for a 2nd dinner. Win, win. Thanks Gaby.
4 zucchini? Would have been helpful to have a qty as I had a MOUND of zucchini that took 30 minutes to cook, did not carmelize and just created more liquid. After thinking I should removed some of it, I went ahead and used all with spinach. Added LOTS of salt and more red pepper flakes for a slight kick.
Turned out yummy but cooking time was way off and with a volume of zucchini to use I was lost.
Has anyone tried with arugula instead of spinach?
would be delish and a bit more peppery!
Question: is it the juice of entire lemon or just a squeeze that goes into the sauce? A bit confusing from the ingredient list and the instructions.
i used an entire lemon! but you can do it to taste
I just made this tonight and it was INCREDIBLE! Put a grilled chicken thigh on top. Chefs kiss. Nothing but perfection. Thanks for the banger Gaby!
Ps my 4yr old licked the bowl! lol
This recipe was absolutely delicious, but I did have some sauce left over and I’m wondering how long it will last in the fridge?
freeze it instead!
fridge - 2 days
freezer - months
how many pounds is 4 zucchini? I have one massive zucchini, and would love to make this recipe.
anywhere in the 1.5 - 2 pound range!
MAKE THIS!! So easy and delicious. The grating of lemon zest at the end is perfection. Also great way to get some veggies into the littles. And for my husband who hates ricotta - you would not know it is in there. Dalkin & Co Tuscan is a must. Only addition was a handful of basil into the blender with the sauce. Vitamix makes it a super smooth, beautiful sauce.
This is your summer pasta when you don’t want to turn on the oven and a great way to get your greens in. I didn’t have any fresh on hand and used defrosted chopped frozen spinach and it worked out great. Do not skip sautéing your zucchini until golden-it adds so much great flavor. The best part is this actually only took about 30 minutes too.
Excellent!! I also subbed cottage cheese, and added frozen peas at the end.
Parent and kids approved!! I subbed cottage cheese for ricotta and it was great.
Yum! Saw this on insta live and immediately added to my meal plan for this week! My store was out of ricotta, so I used cottage cheese and it was great blended up in the sauce if you need a sub. I mixed corn into the pasta…perfect blend with the zucchini and lemon flavors! Dreaming of all the ways to use this sauce this summer!
Oh Yay!!!! I am always looking for new things to do with all the summer zucchini! This looks delicious!
Perfect summer recipe! Will be making this sauce all summer long. ❤️