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Easy Creamy Zucchini Pasta Sauce

Easy Creamy Zucchini Pasta Sauce

A delicious creamy sauce packed with zucchini, parmesan cheese and lemon, the Easy Creamy Zucchini Pasta Sauce is a fresh summery dish that the whole family will love.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Vegetarian
Cuisine Italian Inspired
Servings 2 people
Calories 450 kcal

Equipment

  • large skillet
  • Box Grater
  • tea towel or muslin cloth

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 medium zucchini see notes
  • ½ medium onion finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • ¾ cup cream
  • 50 grams parmesan finely grated
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • handful fresh basil leaves
  • Salt to taste
  • 200 grams dried pasta or 300 grams fresh

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the zucchini. Grate with a box grater then place in a tea towel or muslin cloth and squeeze as much water out as you can. After squeezing I had 440 grams of grated zucchini. A bit more or less is fine!
  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet that will fit all the pasta on a medium heat and add the zucchini, onion and garlic.
  • Lower the heat, add a couple of big pinches of salt and gently cook down for 20 - 25 minutes until pretty much all of the moisture is gone and it is thick and jammy. Adjust your heat as needed, a low heat will be best.
  • Stir every couple of minutes and you know it is ready when it is sticking to the bottom of the pan. See video below or photos above for reference.
  • Remove the mixture from the pan and set aside in a bowl.
  • While zucchini is cooking, cook your pasta, reserving a cup of the pasta water before draining.
  • Add the cream to the empty pan the zucchini was in and bring to a very gentle simmer, it should never boil at any point so keep your heat low.
  • Add the finely grated parmesan in 2 - 3 separate lots, letting it melt in between each addition.
  • Add the black pepper and lemon juice and mix in quickly.
  • Add ¼ cup of pasta water and mix. Let it gently simmer for a minute or two to thicken slightly.
  • Add the zucchini mixture to the cream and mix in well then add your cooked pasta and toss well.
  • Season with salt to taste.
  • Let it very gently bubble away for a min or two and add another ¼ cup pasta water to loosen if needed.
  • Toss the basil leaves through right before serving and serve with lemon zest and extra parmesan on top.

Notes

I used three medium zucchini which together weighed about 730 grams. Try and get close to that weight but a bit more or less is fine. Just use 1 tablespoon of lemon if you don't want it really lemony. This is a generous 2 person size. I allow 100 grams dried per person or 150 grams fresh per person. Cream sauces thicken up quickly off the heat so always like it to be extra saucy in the pan. This is where pasta water is key.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 450kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 12gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 400mgPotassium: 600mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 600IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 300mgIron: 2mg
Keyword creamy zucchini pasta, summer pasta, zucchini pasta
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