This Pasta with Creamy Zucchini Sauce may well become your new favourite zucchini recipe. Quick, easy, economical and a great way to use zucchinis to make a luscious pasta dinner!
Real Pasta with Creamy Zucchini Sauce – NOT “Zoodles”!
If you landed here expecting one of those low carb zucchini pasta “zoodle” recipes, you’re going to be sorely disappointed because this is about as far as you can get from a health food trend.
It’s real spaghetti all the way, in all its carb loaded glory, and the zucchini pasta sauce is swimming in cream.
Low carb? Absolutely not. Low fat? Nope.
100% delicious? YES!
What you need for Creamy Zucchini Pasta Sauce
This recipe is a wonderful way to turn 4 zucchinis into dinner. Here’s what you need.
- Zucchinis – called courgettes in some parts of the world. 600g/1.2lb or so – bit more or less works fine;
- Pasta – this can actually be made with any pasta at all, short or long. But it does work particularly well with long pasta because the shredded zucchini “clings” to it. For the photos and video, I used bucatini, the spaghetti that’s hollow inside, just for something different. Loved the extra thick pasta strands, not so fond of the strange sensation of sucking on a straw when I’m slurping up the pasta – but I think that’s me being immature? 😂
- Garlic and onion – essential flavour base for this simple pasta sauce;
- Parmesan – adds umami (savoury flavour) into this otherwise very simple pasta sauce. Best to use freshly grated if you can because it melts into the sauce better, but store bought grated works fine too. Don’t have parmesan? Use any cheese you have! Don’t have cheese? Add a sprinkle of chicken or vegetable stock powder;
- Cream – because this is a creamy sauce! Evaporated milk is an excellent substitute. Coconut milk would work but I think would taste odd over pasta (I could be wrong);
- Chicken or vegetable broth/stock – as above with parmesan, adds flavour into this sauce. Without it, it does lack a bit of flavour; and
- Corn isn’t essential, but it does add cheerful little pops of colour and bursts of sweetness into this pasta dish. I’ve just used canned here but fresh corn would go down a treat.
How to make Pasta with Creamy Zucchini Sauce
Grating the zucchini is ideal to make a lovely creamy sauce that clings to the pasta. When you grate it, you might feel somewhat alarmed (or perhaps virtuous) at the enormous mound of zucchini. But don’t fret! It shrinks a LOT when cooked.
Key Step – tossing pasta with sauce
The creamy zucchini sauce will seem somewhat thin because the water coming out of the zucchini dilutes the cream. But don’t be concerned – once the pasta is added, the recipe calls for you to (enthusiastically) toss the pasta in the sauce for around 2 minutes on the stove which reduces the sauce and makes it cling to the pasta rather than pooling in the skillet.
The photo on the left is just when the pasta is added – you see how the sauce is just pooled in the skillet – then on the right is after 2 minutes of tossing. See how there’s no sauce left in the skillet? It’s all on the pasta!
Who ever would’ve thought you could make something so amazing from just a few drab looking zucchinis??
Being that this is loaded with zucchinis, you can totally justify not adding a side salad to your meal. But something fresh and crunchy wouldn’t go astray – try one of these:
And if you’re cooking to impress, add a side of Garlic Bread or Cheesy Garlic Bread. Carb overload? Totally. But sometimes, you’ve just gotta live a little! 😉 – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Pasta with Creamy Zucchini Sauce
Ingredients
- 50g / 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1/2 onion , finely sliced (brown, white, yellow)
- 600g / 1.2 lb zucchini (courgette), grated using standard box grater
- 1/2 tsp EACH salt and pepper
- 1 cup thickened/heavy cream
- 3/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock/broth , low sodium
- 3/4 cup parmesan , finely grated using microplane (Note 1 for store bought)
- 1 cup corn (canned, drained, about 2/3 of a can, OR fresh)
- 300g/ 10oz spaghetti, fettucini or other long strand pasta (I used bucatini)
Finishing & serving
- Parmesan
- Extra finishing options: Handful of fresh basil (stir in at end), sprinkle of bacon or pangrattato
Instructions
Cook Pasta:
- Bring a large pot of water to the boil with 1 tablespoon of salt.
- Cook pasta per packet directions MINUS 2 minutes (yes, 2 whole minutes!) - pasta should be a bit too firm in the middle.
- Scoop out a big mug of pasta cook water, set aside (for sauce loosening, just in case), then drain.
Creamy zucchini sauce:
- Melt butter in a large skillet or pot over medium high heat.
- Garlic and onion: Add garlic and onion, cook for 1 1/2 minutes until onion is slightly golden.
- Cook Zucchini: Add zucchini, cook for 1 minute. Then add salt and pepper, then stir for 2 minutes until it reduces in volume by about 1/2.
- Add liquids: Stir in cream, chicken stock, parmesan and corn. Bring to simmer, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 3 minutes. It will still seem watery because water comes out of the zucchini - don't worry, it cooks down in the next step.
- Toss! Add pasta, then use two wooden spoons to toss well for 2 minutes, or until sauce reduces and is coating the pasta instead of pooling in the skillet. If it gets too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta cooking water. Pasta will finish cooking in this step.
- Serve: Remove from stove, serve immediately, garnished with extra parmesan.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Yesterday. Poor Geoff – he just wants to enjoy his Chili Mac and Cheese in peace, without Dozer staring at him with rivers of drool down his chest!!
(For those who are new here, Geoff is the local who lives at the Bayview dog beach. He looks after the park like its his own backyard. We are very lucky to have him as part of our community!)
Hi Nagi,
I like this recipe a lot! I made it again last night this time with fettuccine. I prefer rotini – it sops up the sauce much better. 😊
I quartered the zuccini lengthwise and then grilled it before shredding it. It was great. I needed to add more flavor but respect and LOVE the flavor of ‘Just the zuccini”
Hi Nagi. Thank you so much for this amazing recipe. It is quite possibly the most delicious pasta dish I have ever tasted. This is going to be on my menu at least once a month. A definite keeper!!!
Made this recipe, it was delicious!! Thanks.
This was Yummy!! My husband rolled his eyes when I said I was making it but he went back for seconds!! He had Left over cheese & jalapeños sauces so he was a happy camper!!
Well you sure showed him Amber!!! 😂 N x
Hi Nagi
Not a great cook by any means but have tried a couple of your chicken and beef stir fry recipes and they have been a HUGE success. Did the San Cho Bow last night and hubby couldn’t believe how good it was! Doesn’t compliment my prowess in the kitchen often I might add, but has been very supportive of me cooking your recipes. So happy to have stumbled on your site and will be using your site only from here on. 5 stars from me and many thanks.
Kids absolutely love it . Especially my newly vegetarian 13 yo son. On weekly menu every week so far.
Huge hit! We loved it! 2nd time I made it I added halved grape tomatoes & asparagus, pesto & fresh basil leaves. Thank you again!
THICKENED HEAVY CREAM ? DO YOU THICKEN THE CREAM?
Hi Mary, no this is just thickened/heavy cream that’s store bought. N x
Hi Nagi, we have double and single cream in the UK. The video shows the cream is pour-able….so should I use single? Does it matter?? Lol
Made this recipe in desperate need to use abundance of zucchini from the garden! Made a couple of substitutions to make it vegan friendly and it’s absolutely amazing! Everyone in the house loved this recipe!
Made this and added some chilli. Was delicious
I made this tonight for dinner.
After serving my vegetarian daughter her dinner, I tossed through reheated shredded roast chicken for hubby and I.
So easy, but so tasty!
Thank-you Nagi for another winning recipe.
Great I deal Claire, I hope it was a hit!! N x
Could you sub the cream for Greek yoghurt or something a bit more healthier?
Looks yummy! Looking forward to trying this once vegetables are back in stock again. Haven’t been able to get zucchinis here (Victoria) for weeks because of warehouse shutdowns.
Oh no Alicia, hopefully everything returns to normal soon! N x
Absolutely Yum. I added some chilli flakes and used white pepper.
🙂 part of my recipe tin.
Was absolutely delicious! We added some chilli flakes which gave it a delicious kick. Will make again and again. Thank you
I don’t always have cream in the house. Is there something else I can use to make this dish?
Absolutely delicious and tasty !!! Your Corn and zucchini creamy pasta recipe was right on the spot! Cooked it for dinner which me and my partner enjoyed immensely. Thank you so much and keep the recipes coming.
Just want to thank you. Reading your Recipe tin eats seems like you are right here. Many people need that connection, especially
Oh that’s so lovely Sharon❤️ N x