Easy Zucchini Pasta with Butter Garlic Sauce

This Zucchini Pasta is a quick and easy pasta dish filled with zucchini and tomatoes, simmered in a butter-garlic sauce. This low-effort, simple, and delicious pasta is ready in under 30 minutes.

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Much like our favorite ratatouille recipe, this dish is reminiscent of province-style cooking with an Italian flair.

If you're craving something a little creamier, this Skillet Mac and Cheese with tomatoes and zucchini is another easy way to turn summer zucchini into a quick weeknight pasta dinner.

Zucchini Pasta Ingredients

Simple pantry ingredients and fresh seasonal vegetables and herbs.

• Pasta: I'm using penne, but you can use any short pasta shape, like rigatoni, ziti, mostaccioli, or elbow macaroni.
• Olive Oil: For sautéing the vegetables
• Vegetables: Zucchini and yellow summer squash (can be a combination or only zucchini), along with cherry tomatoes
• Aromatics: Fresh herbs, like thyme, basil, oregano, or substitute dried herbs.
• Cheese: Parmesan Cheese is a favorite, but see the list below of other cheese you might want to add as well.

How to Make Zucchini Pasta

An easy, delicious pasta dish that's a simple, seasonal dish we love.

Step 1: Cook Pasta

Cook pasta according to package directions, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta water before draining the pasta. 

Step 2: Cook Vegetables

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add chopped zucchini, summer squash, cherry tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Saute until the squash has browned and is tender; about 5 minutes. With the back of a spoon, mash some of the vegetables to create a chunky-type sauce. 

Step 3: Add Cooked Pasta

Add ½ cup reserved pasta water to the skillet and bring to a boil. Then add the cooked pasta, butter, and Parmesan cheese; stir to coat. Add additional pasta water if needed. Remove from the heat and toss with chopped fresh basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

What is the Best Cheese for Pasta?

Ultimately, the best cheese for pasta is whatever cheese you love. We've made it very simple in this recipe by recommending Parmesan.

But if you want to explore different cheese options, here's a list of cheeses that often pair well with Italian-style pasta.

• Parmesan: a hard cheese that's perfect in flavor and for grating or melting.
• Ricotta: thick and creamy, and helps thicken up sauces.
• Feta: while I love it in pasta salads, it's also delicious in traditional pasta dishes for flavor.
• Mozarella: always a great choice, especially for baked pasta.
• Pecorino Romano: with its strong, salty flavor, it's best grated and sprinkled over pasta.
• Gorgonzola: a strongly flavored cheese that can be crumbled or grated and served over pasta.

More Pasta Recipes

• One Pot Pasta with Tomatoes, Spinach and Zucchini
• Healthy Skillet Roasted Vegetable Italian Pasta
• Baked Rigatoni Recipe for Easy Pasta Dinners
• 4 Ingredient Pasta with Broccoli and Feta
• One Pot Pasta with Ground Beef and Broccoli