Description
This Pasta With Zucchini And Tomatoes is a vibrant, fresh celebration of spring that comes together in just 20 minutes. It’s a delicious, home-cooked meal featuring crisp zucchini and juicy tomatoes, perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
- Short pasta (penne, fusilli, or farfalle)
- Zucchini (medium-sized, firm)
- Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
- Garlic (fresh, finely minced)
- Olive oil (extra virgin)
- Fresh basil (torn or roughly chopped)
- Parmesan cheese (fresh, for serving)
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
- Pasta cooking water (reserved)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add your chosen short pasta and cook according to package directions until it's perfectly al dente, usually about 8-10 minutes. Reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta cooking water before draining.
- While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once shimmering, add your sliced or diced zucchini and sauté for 3-5 minutes until tender-crisp and lightly golden.
- Push the zucchini to one side of the pan and add the minced garlic (and red pepper flakes if using) to the center. Cook for about 30-60 seconds until fragrant, then stir the garlic and zucchini together.
- Add the halved cherry tomatoes (or chopped regular tomatoes) to the skillet and continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until the tomatoes soften and burst.
- Once the pasta is al dente, use tongs to transfer it directly from the pot into the skillet with the zucchini and tomatoes. Add about ½ cup of the reserved pasta cooking water.
- Toss everything together vigorously, allowing the pasta, vegetables, and starchy water to emulsify into a glossy sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add more pasta water until desired consistency is reached. Stir in most of the fresh basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Divide the pasta among plates, garnish with the remaining fresh basil and a generous grating of Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 5 mg
Keywords: Don't skimp on salting the pasta water for maximum flavor. Always reserve more pasta water than you think you'll need for a silky sauce. Fresh basil is essential for this dish, and feel free to add other quick-cooking vegetables for extra nutrition.