Ingredients
Vegetables
- 3 cups diced zucchini (from 2-3 medium zucchinis)
- 2 medium shallots, sliced (about 1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 20 basil leaves
Pantry & Dairy
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound long pasta (such as spaghetti, fusilli, or bucatini)
- ½ cup pasta water (reserved from cooking pasta)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, plus more for serving
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Boil the pasta water: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil to cook the pasta. Properly salted water enhances flavor.
- Sauté zucchini and shallots: Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add diced zucchini and sliced shallots, cooking them for about 8-10 minutes until softened and tender. Add minced garlic and sauté for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Cook the pasta: In the boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente, according to package instructions, about 8-10 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water before draining.
- Prepare the sauce: Stir the heavy cream, basil leaves, sea salt, pepper, and grated Parmesan into the zucchini mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook while stirring until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
- Blend the sauce: Add the reserved pasta water to the zucchini sauce to loosen it. Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until mostly smooth. Alternatively, let the mixture cool slightly and blend in a high-speed blender until smooth. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
- Toss pasta with sauce: Add the drained noodles directly into the pot with the sauce. Toss well to coat each strand evenly with the creamy zucchini sauce.
- Serve: Plate the pasta and garnish with additional grated Parmesan cheese and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Enjoy warm for best flavor.
Notes
- Reserve pasta water carefully; it helps loosen the sauce and binds it to the pasta.
- You can substitute heavy cream with half-and-half for a lighter version, though the sauce will be less rich.
- For a vegan adaptation, replace heavy cream with coconut cream and Parmesan with nutritional yeast.
- Use fresh basil for best flavor, but if unavailable, 1 teaspoon dried basil can be substituted.
- The immersion blender option minimizes cleanup; a high-speed blender works fine but be cautious when blending hot liquids.
- Make sure not to overcook the pasta; al dente texture is ideal for tossing in creamy sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
