Charred Zucchini Pasta

One of our all-time favorite pasta dishes, perfect for vegetarians (omnivores love it too)!

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Charred Zucchini Pasta

This bright and tasty pasta dish is a fantastic showcase for fresh zucchini. NOTE: Feel free to add or substitute other vegetables. Cauliflower and peppers work great in this recipe too! (This recipe is slightly adapted from one that originally appeared in Bon Appetit, 2017.)
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Pasta, vegetarian, zucchini
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  • 4 medium zucchini You can substitute all or a portion with other veggies such as cauliflower or peppers.
  • 6-8 cloves garlic
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • ½ cup grated pecorino romano or parmesan cheese
  • 500 grams mezze maniche or rigatoni dry pasta Roughly 1/2 pound -- i.e., one box
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • salt
  • pepper
  • red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

  • Wash and slice zucchini into half moons, with a thickness of slightly less than ¼ inch.
  • Peel and then thinly slice the garlic cloves.
  • In a large skillet over medium heat, sautee the garlic in the olive oil until golden, about 1-2 minutes.
  • Add all of the sliced zucchini, tossing to coat with the olive oil and garlic. Cook the zucchini/garlic mixture for about 15 minutes, stirring very infrequently. The goal is to brown the zucchini, with some pieces becoming almost charred. The garlic will become toasty -- don't fret, this is normal!
  • In the meantime, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  • When the zucchini is done, remove from heat and season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste.
  • Cook the pasta one minute less than indicated on the box. Two minutes before the pasta is to be ready (i.e., 3 minutes less than the cooking time shown on the pasta box) warm the zucchini garlic mixture over medium-low heat.
  • When the zucchini is sizzling, add about ½ cup of pasta water to loosen up the zucchini and any bits stuck to the skillet.
  • When the pasta is done, use a mesh scoop or slotted spoon to transfer it to the skillet with the zucchini. Slowly stir the pasta into the zucchini. While continuing to stir, first add the lemon juice and then the grated cheese. If the the mixture seems too dry, add a bit more pasta water to loosen it up.
  • Scoop into bowls, toss with a bit more grated cheese, and serve immediately.