Best 6 Creamy Pasta With Zucchini Recipes

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Creamy pasta with zucchini is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed for lunch or dinner. The combination of creamy sauce, tender zucchini, and flavorful pasta makes this a popular choice for many. This article will provide you with a comprehensive guide to finding the best recipe for creamy pasta with zucchini. We will explore different variations of the dish, including those with different types of pasta, sauces, and additional ingredients. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced home chef, this article will help you discover the perfect recipe to satisfy your cravings for creamy pasta with zucchini.

Here are our top 6 tried and tested recipes!

CREAMY ZUCCHINI PASTA



Creamy Zucchini Pasta image

A creamy sauce with flavorful zucchini which is as simple as it gets. Perfect for a weeknight meal or a quick lunch.

Provided by Jessica Montanelli

Categories     Main Course

Time 25m

Number Of Ingredients 7

6 oz Spaghetti
1 Zucchini
2 Garlic cloves
1/3 cup Cream
Olive Oil
Salt
Black Pepper

Steps:

  • First, bring to boil a large pot of salted water, and in the meanwhile, chop the zucchini into matchsticks.
  • In a pan, drizzle some olive oil and add the peeled and halved garlic cloves. When they start to sizzle, add the zucchini and sauté at high heat for 5-10 minutes, until the zucchini start to brown, then turn down the heat. Season with salt and black pepper.
  • While the zucchini cooks, toss the pasta in the pot with boiling water and cook according to the packaging instructions.
  • When the zucchini are almost ready, add the cream to the pan and season to taste. Mix well with a wooden spoon.
  • Drain the pasta al dente and add it to the zucchini sauce. If necessary, add a few tablespoons of pasta water.
  • Serve with grated Parmigiano on top and freshly ground black pepper.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 474 kcal, Carbohydrate 69 g, Protein 13 g, Fat 16 g, SaturatedFat 9 g, Cholesterol 54 mg, Fiber 4 g, ServingSize 1 serving

CREAM PASTA SAUCE WITH ZUCCHINI



Cream Pasta Sauce With Zucchini image

This is AWESOME pasta sauce! Much different than alfredo-ish sauces, which I don't like. This one could be healthy, depending on which ingredients you use. I found the original version of this in a cookbook I received as a gift, but this is very different from that recipe.

Provided by spatchcock

Categories     Sauces

Time 25m

Yield 3-4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 9

2 1/2 tablespoons butter
7 -8 garlic cloves, minced (LOTS I added like 7 or 8!)
1 tablespoon plain flour
1 cup sour cream (I used FF)
1 cup half-and-half (I've used both) or 1 cup milk (I've used both)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 whole zucchini (julienned or shredded)
fresh shredded parmesan cheese, to taste (optional)
black pepper (optional)

Steps:

  • Melt butter in saucepan.
  • Cook minced garlic in butter for 3-4 minutes or until soft.
  • Stir in flour; cook for one minute, stirring constantly.
  • Add sour cream, milk, and lemon.
  • Cook until heated through.
  • Add zucchini, and cook just until bubbly.
  • Add to pasta (I use this with my tortellini recipe).
  • Add parmesan and black pepper to taste.

CREAMY PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI



Creamy Pasta with Zucchini image

Just a handful of ingredients go into this quick pasta toss; it's a great way to take advantage of a bumper crop of zucchini. You can add many different veggies to make this your way. You could dice onions and saute it in the olive oil until translucent before adding the garlic. Diced tomatoes and fresh mushrooms would be delicious as well. You can use farfalle or penne in place of linguine, if desired.

Provided by Panther Girl

Categories     Squash Recipes

Time 50m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 13

1 pound linguine pasta
1 cup 1% milk
2 teaspoons cornstarch
¼ cup butter
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 ½ cups grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 pounds zucchini, shredded and drained
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, or to taste

Steps:

  • Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook linguine at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 11 minutes; drain.
  • Whisk milk and cornstarch together in a bowl until smooth.
  • Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook and stir minced garlic in hot butter until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Whisk in milk mixture; season with salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a simmer, add Parmesan cheese, and whisk until cheese is completely melted and sauce is smooth. Stir in parsley and remove from heat.
  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute sliced garlic in hot oil until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Increase heat to high and stir zucchini, pinch of salt, and pinch of black pepper into skillet; cook and stir until zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes.
  • Stir sauce and Cheddar cheese into zucchini mixture; cook and stir until heated through, about 5 minutes more. Toss zucchini sauce and linguine together in a large bowl and garnish with basil.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 455.3 calories, Carbohydrate 48.7 g, Cholesterol 48.1 mg, Fat 21 g, Fiber 3.3 g, Protein 20.2 g, SaturatedFat 10.9 g, Sodium 425.7 mg, Sugar 5.6 g

CREAMY PASTA WITH ROASTED ZUCCHINI, ALMONDS AND BASIL



Creamy Pasta With Roasted Zucchini, Almonds and Basil image

Whole-grain pasta offerings on supermarket shelves have expanded with gusto. Unlike the gluey, good-for-you-but-not-your-tastebuds pastas of yore, the best whole-grain brands are firm-textured and tasty. The warm, nutty flavor of varieties like these is robust enough to stand up to intense, complicated sauces, yet satisfying with just a little butter and Parmesan shaved over the top. Here, pasta with creamy goat cheese and a bite of citrus is enough to keep even the most staunch of whole-wheat opponents satisfied.

Provided by Melissa Clark

Categories     dinner, easy, weekday, pastas, main course

Time 45m

Yield 2 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons slivered almonds
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 sprig basil, with leaves and stem
3 tablespoons goat cheese
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
6 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti or linguine

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 500 degrees. Toss the zucchini and oil with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Arrange zucchini on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast, tossing occasionally, until golden and tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, toast the almonds in a skillet over medium heat until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
  • Simmer the cream and basil sprig in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 7 minutes. Whisk in the goat cheese until the sauce is smooth. Remove from heat; stir in lemon zest and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and keep warm.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain well. Toss the pasta with the cream sauce. Serve topped with the zucchini and almonds.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 642, UnsaturatedFat 18 grams, Carbohydrate 73 grams, Fat 34 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 20 grams, SaturatedFat 14 grams, Sodium 821 milligrams, Sugar 6 grams, TransFat 0 grams

CARAMELIZED ZUCCHINI PASTA



Caramelized Zucchini Pasta image

This recipe transforms two pounds of grated fresh zucchini into one cup of caramelized zucchini that's rich, sweet and jammy enough to become a pasta sauce. Cooked over moderately high heat in a combination of olive oil and butter, the zucchini fries in its own juices and concentrates its flavor. Adding garlic and basil lends sweetness, but consider adding anchovy, preserved lemon or red-pepper flakes. As browned bits appear in the skillet, deglaze with a few tablespoons of water, chicken stock or vegetable stock to help prevent burning and to incorporate all of those tasty caramelized bits into the sauce. With time and patience, you'll have a not-so-pretty but delicious mixture, like caramelized onions made with zucchini. Eat it tossed with pasta, as is done here, or add it to sandwiches, pizzas or antipasti spreads. To get vegetarian recipes like this one delivered to your inbox, sign up for The Veggie newsletter.

Provided by Ali Slagle

Categories     dinner, pastas

Time 50m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds zucchini, coarsely grated (about 3 large zucchini)
8 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1/2 cup basil leaves, stems reserved, plus more for serving
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 pound ridged or curly pasta (like medium shells or casarecce)
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan or pecorino (about 1/2 ounce), plus more for serving
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Steps:

  • In a large (at least 12-inch) cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter and oil. When it's foaming, add the zucchini, garlic, the basil stems and half the basil leaves. Season with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cover and cook until pooling with liquid, 5 to 7 minutes. Uncover and cook until the liquid evaporates and the zucchini starts to sizzle, 7 to 10 minutes.
  • Continue to cook until the zucchini is very soft, dark green, and reduced to about 1 cup, another 20 to 25 minutes. When you see a build up of browned bits on the skillet, add a couple tablespoons of water and stir, scraping up the browned bits. Repeat anytime more browning occurs. If you see burning, deglaze with water and lower the heat. (Caramelized zucchini can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to a week; it also freezes well.)
  • Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When the zucchini is about done, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water, then drain the pasta. If the zucchini is ready before the pasta, keep cooking it; the zucchini will only get better the longer it cooks.
  • When the pasta's drained, remove the herb stems from the zucchini. Reduce the heat on the zucchini to medium, then add the pasta, 1 cup pasta water, and the Parmesan. Stir until the pasta is glossed with sauce. Add more pasta water as needed to thin the sauce. Stir in the lemon juice and remaining basil, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with more basil, Parmesan and black pepper.

SPAGHETTI ALLA NERANO (SPAGHETTI WITH FRIED ZUCCHINI)



Spaghetti alla Nerano (Spaghetti with Fried Zucchini) image

This regional pasta dish from Naples is super simple and easy.

Provided by luv2cook

Time 1h40m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 ½ pounds zucchini, sliced
½ cup olive oil, or more as needed
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, or more to taste
1 (16 ounce) package spaghetti
½ cup grated aged provolone cheese
¾ cup chopped fresh basil
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Steps:

  • Place zucchini slices on a plate and let dry for 1 hour.
  • Heat 1/2 cup oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini slices in batches and deep fry until brown, 10 to 15 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels and allow to cool. Mash 1/3 of the zucchini.
  • Place 3 tablespoons olive oil and garlic cloves in a large saucepan over low heat. Watch carefully and simmer until garlic cloves are a light golden brown and oil is infused with garlic flavor, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in mashed zucchini. Add zucchini slices.
  • Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain spaghetti, reserving some cooking water.
  • Add spaghetti and provolone cheese to the saucepan. Toss and add hot pasta water until sauce becomes creamy. Mix in basil, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 356.8 calories, Carbohydrate 45.2 g, Cholesterol 5.7 mg, Fat 15 g, Fiber 2.8 g, Protein 10.6 g, SaturatedFat 3.2 g, Sodium 84.7 mg, Sugar 3 g

Tips:

  • Use high-quality ingredients. Fresh, flavorful vegetables and a good-quality pasta will make all the difference in this dish.
  • Don't overcook the zucchini. Zucchini should be cooked until it is tender but still has a slight crunch.
  • Use a good-quality cheese. Parmesan or pecorino cheese will add a lot of flavor to this dish.
  • Season to taste. Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.
  • Serve immediately. This dish is best served hot, so make sure to serve it as soon as it is ready.

Conclusion:

Creamy pasta with zucchini is a quick and easy weeknight meal that is packed with flavor. It is a great way to use up fresh zucchini from your garden. This dish is also a good source of vitamins and minerals. The zucchini provides vitamins A and C, while the cheese provides calcium and protein. Serve this dish with a side salad or some crusty bread for a complete meal.

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