About
Zucchini season will be coming soon, and you know what they say: when you have zucchini, you always have a lot of zucchinis! Best find some novel ways to use it! Creamy Zucchini Pasta is a good start! The pasta is tender and in a creamy, sharp, cheesy sauce that complements the garden juiciness of the zucchini slices. It's a speedy, rich, and buttery dish that makes the most of a garden staple, and then some! This Creamy Zucchini Pasta will be a summertime favorite from here on out!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces spaghetti
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more, to taste
- 2 medium zucchinis, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups 2% milk
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded, plus more, to taste, for topping
- 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, shredded
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/4 cup basil leaves, chopped, for topping
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoned panko breadcrumbs, for topping
Directions
Step 1 -Bring a salted pot of water to a boil.
Step 2 -Add the spaghetti to the water and cook to al dente, according to package directions.
Step 3 -Drain the spaghetti and toss with a drizzle of the extra olive oil.
Step 4 -In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat.
Step 5 -Add the zucchini slices to the skillet and cook, covered, for 1 minute.
Step 6 -Add 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt and the onion powder to the zucchini slices and stir to combine.
Step 7 -Reduce the heat and cook the zucchini slices, continuously flipping and shifting them so they're evenly cooked, until most of them are tender and browned, about 5-7 minutes.
Step 8 -Add the minced garlic to the zucchini slices and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 9 -In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
Step 10 -Add the flour to the butter and whisk constantly for 1 minute.
Step 11 -Add the milk to the flour mixture, a little at a time, and whisk continuously.
Step 12 -Increase the heat and continue whisking until the sauce begins to bubble and thicken, about 2-4 minutes.
Step 13 -Add 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese, the Pecorino Romano cheese, the lemon zest, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt to the milk mixture and stir to combine.
Step 14 -Add the cooked spaghetti and the flour mixture to the zucchini slices and stir to combine.
Step 15 -Garnish the pasta with the chopped basil, the breadcrumbs, and the extra parmesan cheese.
Step 16 -Serve.
