Zucchini Garlic Pasta Recipes

SPAGHETTI WITH ZUCCHINI AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Using a box grater, shred the zucchini, then squeeze out the juices using your hands.
• Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat, then add the minced garlic. Stir until the garlic gives off an aroma and begins to sizzle.
• Add the shredded zucchini and season with salt a pepper. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes. Cook the pasta al dente and add the hot, drained pasta to the pan.
• Give the pasta and zucchini a toss and add additional salt if need be.

PARMESAN AND GARLIC PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add sliced zucchini and minced garlic and saute for about 5-7 minutes, occasionally stirring, until zucchini softens and browns a bit, uncovered. Midway through cooking, season with salt.
• Note: Depending on the size of your skillet, you might have to cook zucchini in 2 separate batches.
• Cook pasta according to pasta instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water (to stop pasta from cooking).
• Add cooked pasta into the skillet with zucchini and garlic, on low heat.
• Add freshly shredded Parmesan cheese into the skillet and stir pasta on low heat to melt the cheese. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

ZUCCHINI-GARLIC PASTA

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels; drain, 2 tablespoons of drippings. In same skillet, saute onion and garlic in reserved drippings for 3 minutes or until tender. Add the zucchini and salt; cook 6 minutes longer or until tender., Drain pasta and add to the zucchini mixture. Add lemon juice and bacon; toss. Transfer to a serving bowl or platter; sprinkle with cheese.

GUILT-FREE GARLIC PARMESAN ZUCCHINI NOODLES PASTA

Steps:

• Trim and spiralize the zucchini (see notes below for doing this without a spiralizer). Then cut the spiralized zucchini into long noodles to be about the length of spaghetti.
• Add olive oil, garlic, and the red pepper flakes to a large, deep skillet. Turn to medium heat. When the oil bubbles around the garlic, add the zucchini noodles.
• Toss the noodles with pasta tongs and cook until al dente - they should be wilted but still have a crunch; 5 to 7 minutes. Do not let the noodles cook any longer, or else they will become mushy. As they cook, keep tossing so that all the zucchini noodles have a chance to hit the bottom of the skillet.
• Stir in the tomatoes, basil, and parmesan cheese, and then cook for one minute. Use pasta tongs to transfer the noodles, tomatoes, and basil to a serving dish. Leave the liquid in the skillet.
• Bring the liquid left in the skillet to a simmer.
• Combine cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl, then whisk into the simmering liquid. Cook while whisking until the liquid thickens to a sauce; about 1 minute. Taste the sauce and season with salt.
• Pour the sauce over the zucchini, tomatoes, and basil. Finish with more parmesan cheese on top and serve immediately.

SPAGHETTINI SQUARED: PASTA WITH OLIVE OIL, GARLIC, AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. While the water comes to a boil and the pasta cooks, cut the zucchini with the fine French-fry cutter on a mandoline. If you do not have one, cut by hand into the longest, finest julienne you can manage. Season with salt and pepper. If your zucchini is very finely cut, it does not need to be cooked. Otherwise, place in a colander, suspend over the pasta pot, cover the pot, and steam the zucchini until still slightly crunchy, about 2 minutes. Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the garlic and saute briefly until light brown. Turn on the exhaust fan and add the red pepper flakes. Quickly mix in the basil and parsley and remove from the heat. When the pasta is al dente, drain through a colander, reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Pour the pasta into a warm serving bowl; add the zucchini, basil oil, the garlic mixture, and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Toss well, adding cooking water as needed to make a smooth sauce. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper, as needed. Grate about 2 tablespoons Parmesan over the top and serve at once. Cook's Note: The reason to save the basil oil to toss with the pasta at the end is so the oil will have a fresh, uncooked taste.
• Basil Oil (and other herb flavored oils):
• For soft herbs, such as basil, parsley, cilantro or tarragon: Use 4 cups packed leaves to 2 cups pure olive oil. For woody herbs, such as rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano or lemon verbena: Use 1 cup packed leaves to 2 cups pure olive oil. In a blender, puree the herbs and oil until completely smooth. Put the mixture in a saucepan and bring it to a simmer over moderate heat. Simmer for 45 seconds, then pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Don't press on the mixture, but you can tap the strainer against your hand to get the oil to drip through faster. Immediately strain the oil again through a flat-bottomed paper filter. If the filter clogs, you may need to change the filter partway through. It's okay to pick the filter up and squeeze it gently to get the oil out faster, but be careful not to break the filter. (Sometimes a little dark liquid comes through the filter first. Don't worry; that's water. It will settle to the bottom because it is heavier than the oil.) Let the filtered oil settle for a few hours, then pour it off the dark liquid. Store in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place. Cook's Notes: The oil passes through the filter faster if it's filtered while still hot, so set up your filter before you start the recipe. You'll need a flat-bottomed paper filter, like those used for some drip coffee machines. Cone-shaped filters tend to get clogged. Yield: about 1 1/3 cups

SPAGHETTI WITH ZUCCHINI AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Pile up 2 or 3 layers of paper towels on a work surface. Working on the paper towels, shred zucchinis using a box grater holding the zucchini at an angle.
• Heat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil to the pan Add chopped garlic to the oil. When garlic speaks by sizzling in oil, add shredded zucchini. Season zucchini with salt and pepper. Saute shredded zucchini 7 to 10 minutes. Add hot, drained pasta to the pan. Toss spaghetti with zucchini and garlic oil. Add a couple of handfuls of grated cheese to the pan. Adjust seasoning and serve.

ZUCCHINI PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain and reserve.
• Fill a medium sauce pan with lightly salted water. Add zucchini and bring to a boil; boil for 10 minutes or until tender.
• In a large skillet, saute garlic in oil and hot pepper flakes. Add drained zucchini and parsley, then mix all together and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Toss with pasta; then add cheese and salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI AND ROASTED GARLIC

Steps:

• Preheat oven or toaster oven to 450 degrees.
• Lay a 12-inch square piece of foil on the counter and put the garlic on it.
• Sprinkle the thyme and rosemary over the garlic.
• pour the oil over the garlic and herbs.
• Draw up the edges of the foil and make a sealed packet; bake 20 minutes.
• While the garlic is baking, Cook Pasta according to package directions.
• Two minutes before Pasta is done ADD the Zucchini to the cooking pasta, Cook 2 minutes.
• Drain Zucchini and Pasta.
• Open the foil and MASH the garlic lightly with a spoon.
• Toss mashed garlic with the pasta and zucchini.
• Season with salt and pepper and serve.

SPAGHETTI ALLA NERANO (SPAGHETTI WITH FRIED ZUCCHINI)

Steps:

• Place zucchini slices on a plate and let dry for 1 hour.
• Heat 1/2 cup oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini slices in batches and deep fry until brown, 10 to 15 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels and allow to cool. Mash 1/3 of the zucchini.
• Place 3 tablespoons olive oil and garlic cloves in a large saucepan over low heat. Watch carefully and simmer until garlic cloves are a light golden brown and oil is infused with garlic flavor, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in mashed zucchini. Add zucchini slices.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain spaghetti, reserving some cooking water.
• Add spaghetti and provolone cheese to the saucepan. Toss and add hot pasta water until sauce becomes creamy. Mix in basil, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

SPAGHETTI WITH ZUCCHINI AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Pile up 2 or 3 layers of paper towels on a work surface.
• Working on the paper towels, shred zucchinis using a grater holding the zucchini at an angle.
• Heat a large skillet over moderate heat.
• Add extra-virgin olive oil to the pan Add chopped garlic to the oil.
• When garlic starts sizzling in oil, add shredded zucchini.
• Season zucchini with salt and pepper.
• Saute shredded zucchini 7 to 10 minutes.
• Add hot, drained pasta to the pan.
• Toss spaghetti with zucchini and garlic oil.
• Add a couple of handfuls of grated cheese to the pan.
• Adjust seasoning and serve.