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    Home » Recipes » Pasta Recipes

    Published: Mar 25, 2023 Modified: Apr 1, 2023 by Nicole This post may contain affiliate links.

    Zucchini Penne Pasta

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Zucchini penne pasta is a vegetarian dinner option perfect for fresh summer squash. It's tangy and perfect for hot summer days when you want to eat a lighter meal.

    half a bowl filled with zucchini pasta and topped with shredded cheese

    This zucchini penne is the perfect light dinner on any hot summer evening. Enjoy it with a glass of wine from the back porch and watch the sunset in the distance.

    Modified from my Lemon Garlic Butter Pasta, this recipe harnesses a wonderful balance of savory, tangy, and buttery flavors in every bite.

    Why This Recipe Works

    1. It's easy to make. Boil pasta in one pot and saute some veggies in another, and by the time the pasta has finished cooking, you can toss everything together and serve.
    2. It goes great with lighter side dishes. Pair your meatless pasta dinner with some toasted garlic bread and a simple green salad for a complete meal experience. You can even serve some Chocolate Crockpot Lava Cake for an easy after-dinner dessert.
    3. It's a frugal recipe. This dish is great for helping to trim down the grocery budget. At less than $1 per serving, this recipe is perfect for meatless Mondays.
    Jump to:
    • 🥘 Ingredients
    • 🍽 Equipment Needed
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 📖 Variations
    • 🍴 Recipe Tips
    • 🍳 Reheating
    • 🥗 Side Dishes
    • ⏲️ Make Ahead Instructions
    • 👩🏻‍🍳 Storage
    • 💭 FAQs
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments
    labeled ingredients needed to make zucchini penne pasta

    🥘 Ingredients

    Pasta- You'll need a box of dry pasta for this recipe. I recommend using penne pasta, but any pasta type or variety should work just fine.

    Pasta Water- Before draining your pasta, reserve some water. This will help to make the sauce stretch and adhere to the pasta better.

    Butter- For added richness in the sauce, the butter will give us a creamier taste.

    Olive Oil- For added flavor and to help cook the veggies, you'll need a little bit of olive oil.

    Garlic- You can use fresh garlic or jarred garlic, but you will need about 4-5 cloves worth of minced garlic.

    Lemon juice- Adding in a little lemon juice will help to keep the flavors light and vibrant.

    Parmesan cheese- I recommend using shredded parmesan cheese (from the cold deli section of your grocery store) as it will melt and taste better than the dried parmesan from a can.

    Seasonings- We just need salt and pepper for basic seasonings to keep it simple.

    Zucchini- I recommend using fresh chopped zucchini.

    Cherry Tomatoes- Using cherry tomatoes will give us a vibrant burst of color and tangy flavor to bring the recipe full circle with complementary flavors.

    For specific quantities, see the recipe card below.

    🍽 Equipment Needed

    BeeyondCereal is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.

    • Large Pot
    • Colander
    • Measuring Spoons
    • Measuring Cups
    • Wooden Spoon
    • Spaghetti Server

    🔪 Instructions

    Check out how to make Penne Pasta Recipe with these simple step-by-step instructions:

    dry pasta in a pot of boiling water

    Bring a pot of water to a boil and add in your penne pasta.

    cooked pasta in a pot of water

    Cook as directed on the product packaging until al dente.

    While the pasta is cooking, prepare the zucchini mixture.

    zucchini sliced in half on a cutting board with a knife and the ends removed

    Wash your zucchini and slice in half. Remove the ends.

    chopped zucchini on a cutting board with a large knife

    Chop each zucchini half into ¼ inch thick slices. Set aside for now.

    olive oil, minced garlic, and butter in a large pot

    In a large pan, add your olive oil, butter, and minced garlic.

    melted butter garlic and olive oil in a large pot

    Sautee together until the butter has melted and the garlic is fragrant.

    chopped zucchini and salt and pepper in a pot with minced garlic and melted butter

    Add in the zucchini, salt, and pepper.

    cooked seasoned chopped zucchini in a large pot

    Cook for about 8 minutes until softened.

    sliced cherry tomatoes in a large pot with cooked zucchini

    Add in halved cherry tomatoes during the final minute or two of the zucchini cooking.

    cooked cherry tomatoes and zucchini in a large pot

    Cook for the remaining time and allow the cherry tomatoes to soften.

    cooked penne pasta added to large pot

    Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining the pasta into a colander. Add drained pasta to the pan with the zucchini and tomatoes.

    cooked penne pasta added to large pot with zucchini and cherry tomatoes

    Add in the lemon juice and water. Mix well to combine.

    shredded parmesan cheese added to cooked penne pasta added to large pot with zucchini and cherry tomatoes

    Add in the shredded parmesan cheese.

    zucchini penne pasta in a large pan

    Mix well until the pasta is evenly coated.

    Serve warm and enjoy.

    a close view of zucchini penne pasta in a pot

    📖 Variations

    For a meaty variation, you can add in some sliced turkey sausage. Slice them into coins and add them to the pan with the zucchini so they can cook and become caramelized. Yum!

    By swapping out the reserved pasta water for heavy cream, you can get a creamy pasta variation.

    🍴 Recipe Tips

    Adding salt to your pot of boiling water will help to make the pasta taste even better.

    You'll want to heat the zucchini over medium heat (about 350F). Too hot will cause it to burn, and too low won't cook it fast enough to be finished when the pasta is ready.

    If you finish your zucchini before the pasta is finished, you can turn the heat off and let the pan rest on the warm burner until you're ready to combine everything.

    🍳 Reheating

    This pasta is very easy to reheat in the microwave. We like to add a serving or two of it to a plate and heat it for about 1-2 minutes.

    For larger serving sizes, I'd recommend placing the pasta in a large pot over medium heat on the stove with a few tablespoons of water or butter. Reheat until warmed through.

    🥗 Side Dishes

    You can serve this dish with just about anything, but I think some Baked Brats would be great.

    ⏲️ Make Ahead Instructions

    You can precook the pasta and rinse in cold water, before storing in a gallon sized zipper topped baggie in the fridge overnight.

    You can chop the zucchini the night before too. Just keep it in an airtight container in the fridge.

    Then when you go to make your meal, you can have it on the table in about 10 minutes.

    👩🏻‍🍳 Storage

    Keep any uneaten pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat again before serving.

    💭 FAQs

    What is the best way to clean zucchini?

    Thanks to the smooth skin of zucchini, they are one of the easier veggies to clean. Just run them under cool running water and brush your hand or a soft brush along the sides, tops, and bottom to remove any dirt.

    What are the health benefits of zucchini?

    Zucchini is high in antioxidants and hydration and is full of many other nutrients as well. They're great for your health and a perfect way to add something green to the plate.

    Can I eat zucchini skin?

    Yes! Zucchini skin is where most of the health benefits like carotenoids hide. To eat the skin means you're ingesting more of the nutritional goodness these veggies have to offer. While you can peel the skin, there's no reason to because it's so thin and will easily soften as it gets cooked.

    a bowl of zuchini pasta with tomaotes and shredded parmesan cheese

    More great pasta recipes to check out soon

    • Cream Cheese Bacon Pasta Bake
    • Ragu Spaghetti Sauce
    • Grilled Spaghetti Squash with Bolognese Sauce
    • Pineapple Teriyaki Yakisoba Noodles

    📖 Recipe

    an upclose view of bowl of zucchini penne pasta
    Print Recipe
    5 from 2 votes

    Zucchini Penne Pasta

    Zucchini penne pasta is a vegetarian dinner option perfect for fresh summer squash. It's tangy and perfect for hot summer days when you want to eat a lighter meal.
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 20 minutes mins
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 321kcal
    Cost Recipe $6.62 / Serving $0.82
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Large Pot
    • Colander
    • Measuring Spoons
    • Measuring Cups
    • Wooden Spoon
    • Spaghetti server

    Ingredients

    • 16 ounces Penne noodles ($0.92)
    • ½ cup Reserved pasta water ($0.00)
    • 2 large Zucchini, chopped ($1.86)
    • 4 Tablespoons Butter ($0.36)
    • 1 Tablespoon Olive oil ($0.13)
    • 4 teaspoons Garlic, minced (4-5 cloves) ($0.25)
    • 1 teaspoon Salt ($0.10)
    • ½ teaspoon Black pepper ($0.05)
    • 1 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved ($1.24)
    • 1 Tablespoon Lemon juice ($0.24)
    • ½ cup Shredded Parmesan cheese ($1.47)
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Bring a pot of water to a boil and add in your penne pasta.
    • Cook as directed on the product packaging until al dente.
    • While the pasta is cooking, prepare the zucchini mixture.
    • Wash your zucchini and slice in half. Remove the ends.
    • Chop each zucchini half into ¼ inch thick slices. Set aside for now.
    • In a large pan, add your olive oil, butter, and minced garlic.
    • Sautee together until the butter has melted and the garlic is fragrant.
    • Add in the zucchini, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 8 minutes until softened.
    • Add in halved cherry tomatoes during the final minute or two of the zucchini cooking.
    • Cook for the remaining time and allow the cherry tomatoes to soften.
    • Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining the pasta into a colander. Add drained pasta to the pan with the zucchini and tomatoes.
    • Add in the lemon juice and water. Mix well to combine.
    • Add in the shredded parmesan cheese.
    • Mix well until the pasta is evenly coated.
    • Serve warm and enjoy.

    Notes

    Variations

    • For a meaty variation, you can add in some sliced turkey sausage. Slice them into coins and add them to the pan with the zucchini so they can cook and become caramelized. Yum!
    • By swapping out the reserved pasta water for heavy cream, you can get a creamy pasta variation.

    Recipe Tips

    • Adding salt to your pot of boiling water will help to make the pasta taste even better.
    • You'll want to heat the zucchini over medium heat (about 350F). Too hot will cause it to burn, and too low won't cook it fast enough to be finished when the pasta is ready.
    • If you finish your zucchini before the pasta is finished, you can turn the heat off and let the pan rest on the warm burner until you're ready to combine everything.

    Reheating

    • This pasta is very easy to reheat in the microwave. We like to add a serving or two of it to a plate and heat it for about 1-2 minutes.
    • For larger serving sizes, I'd recommend placing the pasta in a large pot over medium heat on the stove with a few tablespoons of water or butter. Reheat until warmed through.

    Side Dishes

    • You can serve this dish with just about anything, but I think some Baked Brats would be great.

    Make Ahead Instructions

    • You can precook the pasta and rinse in cold water, before storing in a gallon sized zipper topped baggie in the fridge overnight.
    • You can chop the zucchini the night before too. Just keep it in an airtight container in the fridge.
    • Then when you go to make your meal, you can have it on the table in about 10 minutes.

    Storage

    • Keep any uneaten pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat again before serving.

    Nutritional Information

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 321kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 449mg | Potassium: 395mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 477IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 107mg | Iron: 1mg
    Author NicoleDurham
    Course dinner
    Cuisine American, Italian
    Tried this recipe?Mention @BeeyondCereal on Instagram and hashtag it #BeeyondCereal
    To view how this recipe was calculated you can visit my Pricing Disclosure Page for more information.

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