Pasta with Creamy Zucchini Sauce: Quick and Delicious
A quick and delicious pasta dish featuring a creamy zucchini sauce. This recipe is perfect for a weeknight meal, offering a rich flavor with pops of sweetness from corn and a savory umami base from parmesan.
Equipment
- large pot
- skillet
- Wooden spoons
Ingredients
- 50 g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter
- garlic cloves minced
- ½ onion finely sliced
- 600 g (1.2 lb) zucchini grated
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp salt for pasta water
- 1 cup thickened/heavy cream
- ¾ cup chicken or vegetable stock/broth
- ¾ cup parmesan finely grated
- 1 cup corn canned, drained, or fresh
- 300 g (10 oz) spaghetti, fettucini, or other long strand pasta
Finishing
- Extra parmesan optional
- fresh basil optional
- bacon optional
- pangrattato optional
Instructions
- Boil a large pot of water with 1 tablespoon of salt. Cook pasta according to package directions, subtracting 2 minutes from the recommended time, then drain and reserve a mug of pasta cooking water.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and sliced onion, cooking for 1 1/2 minutes until the onion is slightly golden.
- Add grated zucchini, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Stir for 2 minutes until the volume reduces by approximately half.
- Stir in the cream, stock, parmesan, and corn. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 3 minutes.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet. Toss for 2 minutes until the sauce reduces and coats the pasta, adding reserved pasta water if the sauce becomes too thick.
- Remove from heat and serve immediately, garnished with extra parmesan.
Notes
Zucchini shrinks significantly when cooked; sauce may appear thin initially but thickens when tossing with pasta. Any pasta type works, but long strands are recommended as they hold the shredded zucchini better.