Ultra Lemony Zucchini Pasta
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A creamy zucchini pasta recipe that doubles down on fresh lemon flavor. The simple, creamy sauce includes a juicy lemon (plus zest), fresh basil, and plenty of Parmesan cheese. Follow my steps to learn how to cook the luscious cream sauce in one pan, with caramelized shallots and perfectly cooked zucchini that tastes sweet and garlicky.
After testing different methods for weeks, I finally nailed what I think is the best zucchini pasta recipe, a summery veggie pasta dish full of fresh basil, green zucchini squash and lots of lemon.
If you enjoy my veggie-packed creamy pasta primavera recipe, or decadent fettuccine alfredo, this recipe is the best of both worlds.
Pro Tip: Cutting the zucchini into thick matchsticks and caramelizing them in extra virgin olive oil enhances the creamy texture of cooked zucchini, while intensifying its natural sweetness.
Why you’ll love it:
What you need for the recipe
- Zucchini: You’ll need 2 medium zucchini for this recipe, or about 3/4 pound. Choose zucchini that are smaller than 2-inches in diameter — larger sized squash usually contain more interior seeds and can taste bitter.
- Pasta: You can cook whatever pasta you like or have on hand. I used spaghetti, but any long pasta shape such as linguine, bucatini, fettuccine or one of the best everyday short pasta shapes like farfalle, rigatoni are all great choices.
- Lemon: For a double hit of lemon, this recipe uses the zest of one whole lemon, along with its juice — the lemon is cut in half and browned in the pan along with the zucchini, which concentrates its flavor and seasons the zucchini as it cooks.
- Shallot: Shallots have a distinctive flavor that adds something special to the sauce. They taste especially delicious slightly caramelized. If you don’t have a shallot, use 1/2 cup sliced red or yellow onion instead.
- Cream: Heavy cream enriches the sauce beautifully. If you want a dairy-free option, substitute 1 cup of chicken or vegetable broth diluted with 2 tablespoons cornstarch.
- Cheese: Like a best friend, grated Parmesan adds a savory finishing touch, and allows all the ingredients to shine. Use freshly grated cheese if possible.
- Herbs: Fresh basil brings out the summery Mediterranean essence of zucchini. Swap it for another soft fresh herb, such as Italian parsley or chives.
Cooking process for zucchini pasta, step by step:
1. To prep the zucchini, slice off the stem and bottom ends. 2. Slice into 2-inch long sections, then cut those in half. 3. Slice each half into 1/2-inch thick sticks.
4. You should have about 4 cups sliced zucchini. 5. Put the shallots and a halved lemon flesh-side down in a large heated skillet. 6. Sizzle thinly sliced shallots in olive oil until softened and slightly browned.
7. Add the zucchini, salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. 8. Cook in one layer without stirring until browned on one side, about 5 minutes.
9. Pour in the cream and stir in grated fresh garlic. 10. Boil about 5 minutes, until the cream is thickened. Squeeze the juice from the browned lemons into the sauce, then remove them.
11. Add lemon zest, cheese and basil. 12. Put cooked, drained pasta in the pan with the sauce.
13. Toss everything together with tongs until the sauce coats the pasta. 14. Garnish with more Parmesan cheese and serve.
Ultra Lemony Zucchini Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise
- Grated zest of one lemon
- 1 lemon, sliced in half
- 2 medium (390 g) zucchini, sliced into 2-inch sticks, ½-inch thick
- 8 ounces (225 g) spaghetti or linguine, or other any dried pasta shape you enjoy
- 1 cup (235 ml) heavy cream
- 2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
- ¼-½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, sliced into ribbons
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously (I use about 1 tablespoon kosher salt per quart of water).
- Put the oil into a large (preferably 12-inch) skillet and place over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and arrange the lemon halves cut-side down in the pan. Cook the shallots until they're soft and beginning to brown on the edges, 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the zucchini to the pan and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Stir the zucchini into one layer. Cook 5 minutes without disturbing, or until the zucchini is nicely browned on one side.
- Pour the cream into the pan and stir in the garlic and red pepper. Bring the cream to a boil and cook 5 minutes, until it looks reduced and thickened.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta until al dente, according to the package directions. Drain.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Using tongs, squeeze the juice from the cooked lemons into the sauce, then discard them. Add the lemon zest, grated cheese, and drained pasta to the pan. Combine the pasta with tongs or two wooden spoons until it melds with the sauce.
- Sprinkle the basil over the pasta and serve, with additional grated cheese on top.
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- To make the sauce without cream, replace it with 1 cup of chicken or vegetable broth diluted with 2 tablespoons cornstarch.
- Choose zucchini that are smaller than 2-inches in diameter — larger sized squash usually contain more interior seeds and can taste bitter.
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
Hey, I’m Karen
Creator of Familystyle Food
I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.
Easy, delectable and perfectly balanced!
I’m so happy you loved it!!
Very tasty and I had leftovers. very nice textures and flavors. Thanks