Creamy Zucchini Pasta Sauce with Ricotta, Basil and Spinach
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This Creamy Zucchini Pasta Sauce is quick and easy to make and full of bright and refreshing flavors! Caramelized zucchini, fresh basil, and baby spinach get blended up with ricotta, lemon and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese to make the most incredible flavor-packed pasta sauce that’s full of green goodness!
Looking for more easy weeknight pasta recipes? Try my Spicy Tomato Garlic Butter Pasta with Shrimp, this Creamy Miso Pasta with Shrimp, or Creamy Red Pesto Pasta with Chicken next!
About This Recipe
This Creamy Zucchini Pasta Sauce is packed with so much flavor and green goodness! It’s perfect for zucchini season!
We have here summer zucchini, which gets sautéed until caramelized, fresh garlic, shallots and red chilies for a kick of heat, basil and baby spinach. It all gets blended up into a silky sauce with ricotta, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, and fresh lemon juice to make the MOST flavorful green pasta sauce!
Toss with your favorite pasta shape until the sauce is creamy and it clings perfectly. Then plate up and sprinkle on more Parmigiano Reggiano, basil, chili flakes and Everything Bagel Seasoning for a comforting and cozy summer pasta bowl!
This healthy comfort food pasta dish is ready in 30 minutes and perfect for busy weeknights!
Why This Recipe Works
- Quick and easy! All you need to do is sauté, blend, mix, and you’ll have dinner on the table in 30 minutes!
- Simple ingredients. Nothing fancy is required to make the zucchini cream sauce and all ingredients can be found easily at your regular supermarket.
- Hidden veggie pasta sauce. The creamy sauce is packed with plenty of greens and you’ll get loads of vitamins, nutrients and fiber with each serving!
- Kid-friendly. Make it kid-friendly by leaving out the chilies and other spicy ingredients.
- Incredibly flavorful sauce! While it’s so delicious with pasta, you can use it on grilled meat, juicy baked chicken breast, as a sandwich spread, salad dressing, and in and on top of ANYTHING!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutes
- Zucchini: One medium fresh zucchini (about 2.75 cups diced) from your garden or the store. I’ve used jade melon here and have also made this with a dark green Korean zucchini too. Both made a great zucchini pasta sauce. Aside from zucchini, any other green or yellow summer squash like pattypan, crookneck, or straightneck squash will all work!
- Aromatics: Asian red shallots, fresh garlic and fresh red chilies give this pasta great depth of flavor. Substitute with regular shallots or red onion if needed. I used Thai Bird’s Eye chilies for heat. Any small red chili pepper works. Omit the chilies for a milder dish.
- Fresh Basil: For some sweet, fresh herbaceous notes.
- Baby Spinach: Or use arugula for a peppery flavor or baby kale.
- Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (or Parmesan cheese): Freshly grated from a block for the best flavor.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Olive oil works too but I love the intense flavor of EVOO.
- Seasonings and Spices: We have kosher salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, ground cayenne and crushed red pepper flakes. Use less or leave out the cayenne and chili flakes if you prefer a milder dish or if dining with children.
- Pasta: I used medium-sized shells pasta with ridges (conchiglie rigate) but any short-cut shape or noodle-type pasta will work. Tubular pasta like rigatoni and penne also hold the zucchini pasta sauce really well. Whole wheat (whole grain) pasta or gluten-free pasta can be used too.
- Ricotta Cheese: Full-fat is best. Part-skim can be used but the sauce will be less thick and not as rich tasting. Cream cheese, cottage cheese, mascarpone, or crème fraiche could also be swapped in.
- Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed for the best zesty flavors!
- Reserved Pasta Cooking Water: We’ll add as needed to help loosen up the zucchini basil sauce until creamy so that it clings to the pasta.
- To Serve: Reserved Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and sliced basil. I also like a sprinkling of chili flakes and Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning on top! Toasted pine nuts would also be a tasty addition.
Full ingredient list and amounts are in the recipe card below.
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How to Make Creamy Zucchini Pasta Sauce
Below is a step-by-step overview on how to make this recipe. Keep scrolling down to get to the recipe card below with the full recipe and detailed instructions!
Serving Suggestions
- Protein. I like to make some homemade Baked Spicy Chicken Meatballs or store-bought Al Fresco Italian Chicken Meatballs in my air fryer to go with this dish. Cooked salmon, sliced air fryer chicken breast, sautéed shrimp or grilled steak would also taste great!
- Bread. Some garlic bread or toasted salted baguette slices on the side would be delicious too.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Zucchini sauce: The zucchini pasta sauce can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days in an airtight sealed container. It can be frozen in a freezer-friendly container or zipper bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a pan on the stovetop over medium heat or until warm throughout, adding a splash of chicken/veggie broth or water if needed. You may also need to add a splash of pasta cooking water to loosen up the sauce when you mix with cooked pasta.
- Zucchini pasta: Leftover pasta already tossed with the sauce can be stored in an airtight sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave on high for 2 minutes, stirring halfway through until hot throughout.
Cook’s Tips
- Caramelize the zucchini. Sautéing until golden-brown will add a ton of flavor! Be patient and wait for color to develop before adding and sautéing the other ingredients, and then blending.
- Adjust spice level to taste. Use more or less chilies, ground cayenne, and crushed red pepper flakes to tailor this dish to your heat level preference. You can leave them out completely for a milder dish or if dining with children.
- Use a blender if possible. It will yield a smoother and creamier sauce than a food processor. However, either will work but the sauce will be a little thicker with a food processor.
- Cook the pasta after making the sauce. Timing is key and fresh cooked pasta will be easier to mix with the sauce than pasta that has been cooked for a few minutes already while you’re sautéing the zucchini.
- Double the recipe. This recipe makes enough for 3 adult sized servings but can easily be scaled up. Click the ‘2x’ button at the top of the recipe card to display double the ingredient amounts to make 6 servings. Use a larger skillet to cook the zucchini and aromatics if doubling the recipe.
Variations
- Use cottage cheese instead of ricotta. It’ll add more protein to the sauce and be wonderfully creamy too.
- Gluten-free. Use a gluten-free pasta of choice.
- Vegetarian. Use a vegan parmesan made without animal rennet.
- Vegan. Use vegan ricotta and a vegan parmesan cheese. You could also try using full fat coconut milk instead of the ricotta.
- Switch up the seasonings. Add Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, or Herbs de Provence instead of Italian seasoning for different flavor take.
- Use a different grated cheese. Pecorino Romano or Grana Padano would also be tasty in place of the Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Use a different type of pasta. Shells, rigatoni, penne, and other tubular pasta shapes are great with this sauce. You can use a noodle-type pasta like fettuccine, pappardelle, spaghetti, bucatini, linguini, fusilli lunghi bucati, etc.
- Garnish with lemon zest. It’ll finish the dish with a concentrated fresh citrus flavor!
FAQs
You can make the sauce up to 3 days in advance and store in the fridge in an airtight container. Reheat in a pan over medium heat until warm throughout. Then cook pasta and mix with the sauce, adding pasta cooking water as needed to make the sauce creamy, until combined well.
Sure! For a richer sauce, use ⅓ to ½ cup heavy cream instead of ricotta to make a zucchini pasta Alfredo sauce.
Fresh oregano, thyme, basil, rosemary, tarragon, and marjoram would all go well with zucchini. Add any herbs you have on hand or that sounds tasty to you!
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More Easy Pasta Recipes
Easy Creamy Zucchini Pasta Sauce
This Creamy Zucchini Pasta Sauce is quick and easy to make and full of bright and refreshing flavors! Caramelized zucchini, fresh basil, and baby spinach get blended up with ricotta, lemon and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese to make the most incredible flavor-packed pasta sauce that’s full of green goodness!
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 3 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Sauté
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1 medium / 300 grams Zucchini (about 2.75 cups diced) – diced into medium cubes
- 2 small / 32-38 grams Asian Red Shallots (or use regular shallot/eschalots or red onion) – finely chopped
- 2–3 / 15 grams Garlic cloves – minced
- 1–4 / 3-12 grams fresh Red Chilies, to taste (optional – I used Thai Bird’s Eye red chilies but any variety can be used, omit for milder dish, note 1*)
- ½ cup / 10 grams Fresh Basil Leaves, loosely packed
- 2 cups / 66 grams Baby Spinach – washed if needed
- ¼ cup / 20 grams freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese (or Parmesan cheese)
- 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ½ + ¾ teaspoon Kosher Salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon freshly cracked Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon ground Cayenne (optional – omit for milder dish)
- ½ – 1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, to taste
- 7.5 ounces / 212 grams uncooked medium-sized Shells Pasta (conchiglie rigate, or use any short-cut shape or noodle-type pasta – note 2)
- ⅓ cup (3 ounces) / 84 grams Ricotta Cheese
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed Lemon Juice, or more to taste
- Reserved Pasta Cooking Water, as needed
- To Serve: reserved Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (plus more to taste if desired), reserved basil, Everything Bagel Seasoning, chili flakes, pine nuts
Instructions
Prep:
- Prepare the fresh ingredients: Chop the zucchini, shallots, garlic, and red chilies (if using) as indicated in the ‘ingredients’ section. Slice ½ tablespoon of basil for garnish and set aside the rest for the zucchini pasta sauce. Wash the baby spinach if needed. Use a block grater to grate the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
Creamy Zucchini Pasta:
- Caramelize the zucchini: Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a medium-sized deep sauté pan or deep edged skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced zucchini and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Sauté occasionally for 10-15 minutes, until starting to turn golden brown and caramelized.
- Sauté the aromatics and seasonings: Add the shallots and sauté for 40 seconds until just starting to soften. Then add the garlic and chilies and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, ground cayenne and crushed red pepper flakes.
- Add the baby spinach and basil: Add the baby spinach and the fresh basil and mix until the just wilted. Switch off the heat.
- Blend: Transfer the zucchini mixture to a high-speed blender (see note 3 if using a food processor). Add 2 tablespoons of the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, the ricotta cheese, and lemon juice. Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste and add more lemon juice or salt if desired.
- Cook the pasta: Cook the shells pasta al-dente in a large pot of boiling salted water according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water, then drain and return the pasta back to the pot.
- Toss cooked pasta with the sauce: Add the creamy zucchini sauce and 2 tablespoons reserved pasta water to the pot with the pasta. Mix until the sauce is creamy, adding more pasta water if needed, and it coats the pasta evenly.
- Serve: Divide evenly onto plates and garnish with the reserved grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (plus more if desired) and sliced fresh basil. Sprinkle with Everything Bagel Seasoning and/or chili flakes if you like and serve immediately.
Notes
- Fresh Red Chilies. Use more or less to tailor this dish to your heat level preference. You can leave them out completely for a milder dish or if dining with children. Same goes for the ground cayenne and crushed red pepper flakes.
- Pasta Type: Shells, rigatoni, penne, and other tubular pasta shapes are great here and hold the sauce really well. You can use a noodle-type pasta like fettuccine, pappardelle, spaghetti, bucatini, linguini, fusilli lunghi bucati, etc.
- Blender vs. Food Processor. Either will work but a blender will yield a smoother and creamier sauce.
- Storage. The zucchini pasta sauce can be stored in the fridge for 3 days in an airtight sealed container. It can be frozen in a freezer-friendly container or zipper bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a pan on the stovetop over medium heat or until warm throughout, adding a splash of chicken/veggie broth or water if needed. You may also need to add a splash of pasta cooking water to loosen up the sauce when you mix with cooked pasta. Leftover zucchini pasta already tossed with the sauce can be stored in an airtight sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave on high for 2 minutes, stirring halfway through until hot throughout.
- Serve with protein of choice. I like to make some homemade Baked Spicy Chicken Meatballs or store-bought Al Fresco Italian Chicken Meatballs in my air fryer to go with this dish. Cooked salmon, sliced air fryer chicken breast, sautéed shrimp or grilled steak would also taste great!
- Double the recipe. This recipe makes enough for 3 adult sized servings but can easily be scaled up. Click the ‘2x’ button at the top of the recipe card to display double the ingredient amounts to make 6 servings. Use a larger skillet to cook the zucchini and aromatics if doubling the recipe.
- See the ‘Variations’ section in the post above if you’d like to customize this recipe for specific dietary needs and flavor variations.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/3 of recipe
- Calories: 395
- Sugar: 7.1g
- Sodium: 833.5mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 3.7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 59g
- Fiber: 4.7g
- Protein: 26.5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
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This Creamy Zucchini Pasta recipe sounds incredible, but honestly, the thought of blending *that much* zucchini makes me a little nervous it might get *too* green! I love the idea of caramelizing it to add flavor – sounds like a zucchini spa day before getting blended. And the optional additions? Everything Bagel Seasoning? Pine nuts? Now Im picturing my grandma trying to make this and getting super confused at the crushed red pepper flakes part. Definitely saving this though, maybe for when Im trying to sneak veggies past my picky human. The step-by-step is super helpful, especially the part about not adding everything at once. Thanks for the guide, even if my blender might need a break after this!grow a garden calculator