Delicious Summer Zucchini Pasta Sauce Recipe
Make this silky 7-ingredient zucchini pasta sauce in just 30 minutes! Fresh zucchini, garlic, lemon, and Parmesan create a light, creamy summer pasta sauce the whole family will love.
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti or linguine
- 3 medium zucchini about 1.5 lbs, grated
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan plus more for serving
- ½ cup reserved pasta water or more as needed
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves roughly torn
- salt and black pepper to taste
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti al dente. Before draining, scoop out at least ½ cup of starchy pasta water and set it aside.
- Grate the zucchini on the large holes of a box grater. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible using your hands or a clean kitchen towel.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until golden and fragrant. Watch it closely - it goes from golden to burnt fast.
- Add the squeezed zucchini to the skillet. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10-12 minutes until very soft, golden at the edges, and almost creamy-looking.
- Add the drained pasta to the skillet. Pour in the reserved pasta water a splash at a time, tossing everything together. Add the Parmesan, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Keep tossing until the sauce looks glossy and coats every strand.
- Remove from heat. Fold in the torn basil. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.
Notes
Squeezing moisture from the zucchini is the most important step - skip it and your sauce turns watery instead of silky. Reserve more pasta water than you think you need; you can always add more. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
