BY SHALEEN DESTEFANO
If your garden is overflowing with zucchini this time of year, you’re not alone. This versatile summer squash has a way of multiplying overnight, leaving you to research new ways to use it all up. Enter this delicious recipe adapted from our favorite food site, Modern Proper. This creamy zucchini pasta is the kind of simple, satisfying dinner that makes the most of your early August bounty. Velvety and bright, it transforms humble zucchini into something you’ll actually look forward to making again and again. Mangia!
Ingredients
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups diced zucchini, from (2-3 medium)
2 medium shallots, sliced (about 1 cup)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 pound pasta of choice
½ cup pasta water
1 cup heavy cream
20 basil leaves
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
roughly chopped herbs for serving (we like dill and chives)
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan, over medium heat.
Add the zucchini and shallots and cook until softened, about 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 more minute.
Add the pasta to the water and cook until al dente, according to the package instructions, about 8-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, stir the heavy cream, basil leaves, salt, pepper and parmesan cheese into the zucchini mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring until the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes.
Add ½ cup of the pasta water to the zucchini sauce. Drain the noodles. Using an immersion blender, blend the sauce until mostly smooth. Alternatively, let the zucchini mixture cool slightly and transfer it to a high speed blender, blend on high until mostly smooth. Season with salt to taste.
Add the noodles to the pot with the sauce and toss to coat. Serve topped with parmesan, herbs and pepper.