Zucchini and Ricotta Pasta recipe
This zucchini and ricotta pasta recipe is my go-to dish whenever I have zucchini on hand. Ultra simple, quick (30 minutes, watch in hand), and with almost nothing in the fridge, it’s generally the kind of dish I make all summer long, never getting tired of it because it’s relatively customizable.
For a creamy touch, I added ricotta here, but it’s not at all necessary. If you have cream, a little feta, or even nothing at all, it works just as well. It’s a super flexible base; adapt it according to your tastes and the contents of your fridge.
I highly recommend using small zucchini: they have more flavor, thin skin, and most importantly, they don’t release too much water during cooking.
Quick tip: Give everything a good stir at the end so the pasta is well coated in sauce and the zucchini is tender. In the photos, I held back to make it look pretty, but in real life, I mix thoroughly, and that’s how it tastes best.
Zucchini and Ricotta Pasta recipe
Ingredients you do need to cook this zucchini pasta recipe:
- Long (linguine, spaghetti, etc.) or short (penne, rigatoni, fusilli, farfalle, etc.) dried pasta
- Small zucchini: Small vegetables are generally better and much more flavorful
- One pressed garlic clove
- One small fresh onion or half an onion, finely chopped
- Ricotta cheese
- Freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese
- Toasted pine nuts
- Good-quality olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh basil and/or oregano
- You can also serve with crispy onions; it will be a pure delight
Other recipes you might like to make with zucchini:
Zucchini and Ricotta Pasta recipe
Ingredients
- 350 g dried pasta long (linguine, spaghetti, etc.) or short (penne, rigatoni, fusilli, farfalle, etc.)
- 350 g small zucchini
- 1 garlic clove pressed
- 1 small spring onion finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons ricotta
- Freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese
- 2 handfuls toasted pine nuts
- Good quality olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh basil or oregano
Instructions
- Wash and cut the zucchini into thin slices or small cubes.
- In a large skillet, sauté the crushed garlic in a generous drizzle of olive oil. As soon as it begins to brown, add the zucchini and chopped onion.Add salt and sauté (stirring gently from time to time) for 5 minutes. They should brown but not burn.
- Pour in 5 cl of water and let it cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper. Add a few basil leaves if desired, and cover.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and cook your pasta according to the package instructions.
- Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the pan with the zucchini, mixing well.Drizzle with olive oil.
- Serve the plates with a spoonful of ricotta, toasted pine nuts, and grated Parmesan.Stir well and enjoy!
