Creamy Zucchini Pasta

I love zucchini because it’s so versatile. Sauteed with olive oil, salt, and pepper? You’ve got the perfect side dish. In zucchini muffins or zucchini bread? The perfect way to add veggies and moisture to a baked good. But in pasta? This may be new to you. We are using four entire zucchini in this sauce, which makes this pasta recipe super creamy and a great way to get in some extra veggies! We are also using cream and cheese in this creamy zucchini pasta, but not as much as you’d think based on the taste and texture! This recipe is simple to make with the sauce made in a blender after the zucchini, onions, and garlic are cooking. Even my kids devoured this and my husband, who doesn’t care for zucchini, had seconds and couldn’t tell that’s what made the sauce so creamy and delicious.

Ingredients for Creamy Zucchini Pasta

• Pasta! Use your favorite shape. My favorite pasta shapes are cavatappi, gemelli, and fusilli, We are using cavatappi here!
• Butter. The perfect start to our sauce!
• Garlic. Necessary for flavor.
• Onion. A whole yellow or sweet onion add a lot of flavor and depth to the sauce.
• Zucchini. We’re using four medium-sized zucchini, but this recipe is pretty forgiving! As long as the zucchini aren’t teeny tiny or enormous garden zucchini, we are using any four zucchini about 1.5-2 lbs. worth of zucchini.
• Broth. You can use chicken broth or vegetable broth.
• Cream. We are using 1/2 a cup of cream here which really goes a long way adding creaminess to the sauce.
• Parmesan. Cheese is a must!
• Basil. The freshest basil to add flavor to the sauce!
• Salt and pepper

How to Make Creamy Zucchini Pasta

• First, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to pasta directions. Before draining, reserve about one cup of the pasta water. Set aside.
• In the same pot, melt the butter. Add the garlic, onion, and zucchini and cook until tender, seasoning with salt and pepper as it cooks. Transfer this mixture to a blender and add the broth, cream, and fresh basil and blend until smooth. Transfer this mixture back to the pot.
• Bring the mixture to a simmer and stir in the cheese. Taste and add salt and freshly ground black pepper if desired! Return the pasta to the pot and stir to combine. If you need to thin the sauce out, add some of the pasta water and stir. Top with additional fresh basil, freshly ground black pepper, and extra cheese.
• Serve with some garlic bread and salad or enjoy all by itself!