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Easy Creamy Zucchini Pasta Sauce

Easy Creamy Zucchini Pasta Sauce

A delicious creamy sauce packed with zucchini, parmesan cheese and lemon, perfect for a fresh summer pasta dish.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Vegetarian
Cuisine Italian Inspired
Servings 2 people
Calories 350 kcal

Equipment

  • large skillet
  • box grater
  • tea towel or muslin cloth

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 medium zucchini see notes
  • ½ medium onion finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • ¾ cup cream
  • 50 grams parmesan finely grated
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • Handful fresh basil leaves
  • Salt to taste
  • 200 grams dried pasta or 300 grams fresh

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the zucchini. Grate with a box grater then place in a tea towel or muslin cloth and squeeze as much water out as you can.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet that will fit all the pasta on a medium heat and add the zucchini, onion and garlic.
  • Lower the heat, add a couple of big pinches of salt and gently cook down for 20 - 25 minutes until pretty much all of the moisture is gone and it is thick and jammy.
  • Stir every couple of minutes and you know it is ready when it is sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  • Remove the mixture from the pan and set aside in a bowl.
  • While zucchini is cooking, cook your pasta, reserving a cup of the pasta water before draining.
  • Add the cream to the empty pan the zucchini was in and bring to a very gentle simmer, it should never boil at any point.
  • Add the finely grated parmesan in 2 - 3 separate lots, letting it melt in between each addition.
  • Add the black pepper and lemon juice and mix in quickly.
  • Add ¼ cup of pasta water and mix. Let it gently simmer for a minute or two to thicken slightly.
  • Add the zucchini mixture to the cream and mix in well then add your cooked pasta and toss well.
  • Season with salt to taste.
  • Let it very gently bubble away for a min or two and add another ¼ cup pasta water to loosen if needed.
  • Toss the basil leaves through right before serving and serve with lemon zest and extra parmesan on top.

Notes

Try and get close to 730 grams of zucchini but a bit more or less is fine. Use 1 tablespoon of lemon juice if you don't want it really lemony.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 350kcalCarbohydrates: 60gProtein: 12gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 300mgPotassium: 600mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1000IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 250mgIron: 1mg
Keyword creamy zucchini pasta, summer pasta, zucchini pasta
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