Tomato Zucchini Pasta (Printable)
Vibrant Italian pasta with zucchini, tomatoes, garlic, and fresh herbs. Ready in 35 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 medium zucchinis, sliced into half-moons
02 - 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or 2 large ripe tomatoes, diced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
→ Pasta
05 - 12 oz dried pasta (spaghetti, penne, or fusilli)
→ Pantry & Dairy
06 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
07 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
08 - 1/2 tsp chili flakes (optional)
09 - 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese or vegetarian hard cheese
→ Fresh Herbs
10 - 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped plus extra for garnish
11 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.
02 - While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 2–3 minutes until translucent.
03 - Add garlic and zucchini to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until zucchini is tender but not mushy.
04 - Add tomatoes and chili flakes if using; season with salt and pepper. Cook for another 5–6 minutes, letting the tomatoes soften and release their juices.
05 - Add cooked pasta to the skillet along with half of the reserved pasta water. Toss to combine, adding more water as needed for a silky sauce.
06 - Remove from heat, stir in Parmesan, basil, and parsley. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmesan and fresh basil if desired.
# Cooking Tips:
01 -
- It transforms humble garden vegetables into something that tastes like a restaurant dish but costs almost nothing
- The sauce comes together from the vegetables themselves, no jarred red sauce in sight
02 -
- that pasta water is liquid gold, the starch helps create a restaurant quality sauce that actually clings to the pasta
- overcooking the zucchini turns it mushy, you want it tender but still with some bite to contrast with the pasta
03 -
- cut all your vegetables to roughly the same size so they cook evenly and no piece ends up mushy while another stays crunchy
- room temperature tomatoes release their juices more quickly than cold ones straight from the fridge