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    Pasta with Parmesan and Garlic Zucchini

    By Julia | Updated: Jun 11, 2018 | Published: Sep 07, 2014 | 36 Comments

    71.4K shares
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    Parmesan and Garlic Pasta with Zucchini - light, delicious, Summer recipe. I used regular spaghetti pasta, cooked sliced zucchini in olive oil and garlic and then combined cooked pasta with garlic zucchini and lots of shredded Parmesan cheese!

    Parmesan Zucchini & Garlic Pasta in a white bowl

     

    Zucchini has been on my mind lately, mainly because a huge zucchini has been sitting in my fridge for quite some time begging to be used and not wasted. The zucchini was really huge, similar in size to this jumbo zucchini (scroll down and you'll see the zucchini on her head 🙂 ). I wanted to take some funny pictures with it too, but instead I've made this delicious Pasta with Parmesan and Garlic Zucchini:

    Parmesan Zucchini & Garlic Pasta in all-clad large skillet

    Ingredients you need for this parmesan zucchini pasta

    • olive oil
    • 4 zucchinis or 1 very large zucchini, sliced
    • garlic cloves, minced
    • spaghetti (for gluten free version, use brown rice pasta spaghetti style)
    • salt and pepper
    • freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

    How to make pasta with zucchini

    1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat.
    2. Add sliced zucchini and minced garlic and saute uncovered for about 5-7 minutes, until zucchini softens and browns.  Midway through cooking, season with salt.
    3. Note: Depending on the size of your skillet, you might have to cook zucchini in 2 separate batches to avoid overcrowding.  Overcrowding will result in zucchini steaming in its own juices instead of nicely browning. 
    4. Cook pasta according to pasta instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water (to stop pasta from cooking - this is especially important for gluten free pasta).
    5. Add cooked pasta into the skillet with zucchini and garlic, on low heat.
    6. Add freshly shredded Parmesan cheese into the skillet and stir pasta on low heat to melt the cheese.
    7. Season with just the right amount of salt and pepper, to taste.

    Below are some step-by-step photos showing major steps to make this pasta with zucchini:

    step by step photos to show how to cook pasta with zucchini

    I've used gluten-free brown rice spaghetti pasta for this recipe, but, of course, you can use regular spaghetti, too.  This pasta with zucchini was a very tasty (and healthy) Saturday dinner.

    Parmesan Zucchini & Garlic Pasta in a white bowl with a red cup and a whole zucchini

    Related Pasta Recipes with Zucchini

    • Parmesan Zucchini Tomato Chicken Spaghetti
    • Thai Zucchini Noodles
    • Chicken and Zucchini Basil Pesto Tortellini
    4.73 from 33 votes

    Parmesan and Garlic Pasta with Zucchini

    Pasta with Parmesan and Garlic Zucchini - light, delicious, Summer recipe. I use regular spaghetti pasta, cook sliced zucchini in olive oil and garlic and then combined cooked pasta with garlic zucchini and lots of shredded Parmesan cheese!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories per serving 438 kcal
    Author: Julia

    Ingredients

    • 3 tablespoons olive oil
    • 4 zucchinis medium, sliced
    • 4 garlic cloves , minced
    • 8 ounces spaghetti (for gluten free version, use brown rice pasta spaghetti style)
    • salt and pepper
    • 1 cup Parmesan cheese , freshly shredded
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions 

    • 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.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Information
    Parmesan and Garlic Pasta with Zucchini
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    438
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    18
    g
    28
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    5
    g
    31
    %
    Cholesterol
     
    17
    mg
    6
    %
    Sodium
     
    420
    mg
    18
    %
    Potassium
     
    673
    mg
    19
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    50
    g
    17
    %
    Fiber
     
    3
    g
    13
    %
    Sugar
     
    6
    g
    7
    %
    Protein
     
    18
    g
    36
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    585
    IU
    12
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    36.1
    mg
    44
    %
    Calcium
     
    345
    mg
    35
    %
    Iron
     
    1.8
    mg
    10
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Nutrition Disclaimer:

    The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

    Keyword parmesan zucchini pasta, pasta with zucchini
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    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. EF

      August 12, 2021 at 11:24 pm

      Love it. Very quick and easy plus delicious:)

      Reply
      • Julia

        August 13, 2021 at 6:51 pm

        I am so glad you liked it! Thanks for the comment!

        Reply
    2. Stacy

      May 22, 2021 at 1:16 pm

      Very good. We added red pepper flakes, a tablespoon of cream cheese and some sliced grape tomatoes. Highly recommend.

      Reply
    3. Christina S

      September 05, 2020 at 7:48 pm

      Great recipe, easy to put together. Would be fantastic with red pepper flakes. I added tomatoes and basil at the end, which was nice.

      As others have said, do not under any circumstance rinse your pasta! Besides, you need the heat from the pasta to melt the cheese on this one.

      Reply
    4. Joycelyn

      August 13, 2020 at 4:36 pm

      On the minor negative, I would never rinse pasta with cold water or ever rinse pasta for that matter unless it's for the rare occasion I make our out of country visiting grandchildren's favorite macaroni- mayo laden salad where the hot pasta needs to be cooled off quickly.

      Other than that on the positive, a very tasty recipe indeed. My spouse particularly enjoyed it as it was reminisce of Jane Snow, a long time ago Akron Beacon food columnist and restaurant reviewer/critic who posted a pasta with garlic and zucchini recipe in her food section. Unfortunately I neglected to to put pen to paper so I could add the recipe to my scrap book folder to be made again at a later date.
      But.. Now I have your lovely recipe that's equally tasty and of which I have made sure to save. : )

      Reply
    5. Juana Okwuona

      July 10, 2020 at 9:00 am

      Complimenti bravo continua cosi!!ottimo lavoro Grazie!!

      Reply
    6. Marie

      June 14, 2020 at 4:29 pm

      How many cups of sliced zucchini is this?

      Reply
    7. modnarte

      May 28, 2020 at 5:48 pm

      Do not rinse your pasta! Ever!
      Cook 2 minutes less then drain and add to recipe.
      Rinsing removes important starch that is needed in your sauce.

      Reply
      • Madeleine

        July 30, 2020 at 12:23 pm

        Yes indeed. After 25 years in Rome I have learned that!

        Reply
    8. Longina

      August 14, 2019 at 9:44 pm

      Made this for lunch today, definitely making again. Simple but so flavorful. I had turmeric fettuccini on hand which worked great with this flavor profile. Love it!

      Reply
      • Julia

        September 28, 2019 at 8:05 pm

        So happy you tried this recipe and enjoyed it! 🙂

        Reply
    9. Daniela Lungu

      August 11, 2019 at 2:13 pm

      Excellent dish

      Reply
      • Julia

        September 28, 2019 at 8:18 pm

        Thank you! 🙂

        Reply
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    Julia is the author of JuliasAlbum.com (a food blog focused on easy dinner recipes, pasta dishes, salads made with seasonal ingredients). In this photo, Julia is pictured wearing a yellow sweater against an Autumn background.

    Hi, I'm Julia!

    I am a full-time food blogger living in beautiful Colorado. I focus primarily on savory recipes (protein-based & fiber-rich main dishes, pasta, salads) using fresh & seasonal ingredients. A food blogger since 2012, I help home cooks create well-balanced and visually appealing dinners (many of which are 30-minute ONE-PAN meals). Find out more about me and my cooking philosophy. 

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